Water
Each day, one of every two people on the planet quenches his thirst with water that originates in mountains. And as the world population swells to an estimated 9.6 billion by 2050, the worldwide demand for freshwater will continue to soar.
More than half of humanity relies on mountain freshwater for everyday life. The ten largest rivers originating in the Hindu Kush Himalayas alone supply water to over 1.35 billion people. Some of the world’s largest cities, including New York, Rio de Janeiro, Nairobi, Tokyo and Melbourne, are dependent on freshwater from mountains.
Climate change is already causing more than 600 glaciers to disappear, resulting in springs and rivers drying up. Greater frequency of extreme weather events, droughts and floods, including flash floods and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), are also expected to increase in mountains, causing imbalance between current water supply and demand.
Given the importance of mountain water resources worldwide, the careful management of mountain water resources is a global priority. Water management practices need to be adapted to different climatic zones, using locally adapted soil and water management techniques. Most importantly, watershed management must take into account the needs of all those who depend on mountain water, including those who have the greatest stake in preserving healthy mountain ecosystems – people who live in mountain areas themselves, who are often marginalized from the decision-making processes.
The Canadian Mountain AssessmentpublicationThe Canadian Mountain Assessment provides a first-of-its-kind look at what we know, do not know, and need to know about mountains in Canada. It is based on insights from Indigenous knowledges of mountains, as well as findings from an extensive assessment of pertinent academic literature. The Canadian Mountain Assessment's inclusive... Download » |
Launch of the African NGOs Alliance for Environmental Sustainability (ANAES)eventAfrica faces numerous environmental challenges, including ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss, wildlife poaching, poverty and pollution, all accelerated by climate change. These challenges are complex and require collective efforts to address them effectively. In collaboration with the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance, the Albertine Rift Conservation Society (ARCOS Network) has initiated the African...
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IPROMO Latinoamericano 2023 concludes, alumni network welcomes the course’s 40 graduatesnewsOn 15 September 2023, the second edition of IPROMO Latinoamericano drew to a close, concluding an engaging two-week virtual training programme focused on the theme "Sustainable management of high altitude socioecosystems in Latin America: Changes and continuity in mountain landscapes". IPROMO Latinoamericano 2023, held from 4 to 15 September, brought...
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Members’ Voices: Marie Anière-Martínez, BoananewsThe Mountain Partnership – the United Nations alliance dedicated to mountains – is all about working together for sustainable mountain development around the world. Our vast and diverse membership counts over 500 members to date, across governments, intergovernmental organizations and civil society. In this latest Members' Voices feature, the Mountain Partnership Secretariat interviews Marie...
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.png "Water, ice, society, and ecosystems in the Hindu Kush Himalaya")
Water, ice, society, and ecosystems in the Hindu Kush HimalayapublicationA major assessment report by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) reveals unprecedented and largely irreversible changes to the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region's glaciers, snow and permafrost due to global warming. The report, titled "Water, Ice, Society, and Ecosystems in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HI-WISE)," maps the... Download » |
Indigenous Peoples call for recognition of vital role in protecting mountain water towersnewsThe International Network of Mountain Indigenous Peoples (INMIP), IIED and the Mountain Partnership secretariat organised a side event on "Protecting and restoring critical water related ecosystems in mountains: the role of Indigenous Peoples and biocultural territories". This was one of the few events held during the UN Water Conference on...
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