Key Messages 2024
Mountain adaptation solutions are essential to address the climate crisis.
Mountain communities have long demonstrated exceptional ingenuity in living in harsh environmental conditions. However, the escalating impacts of climate change now present unprecedented challenges, threatening their traditional ways of life and survival strategies. Terracing, agroforestry, crop diversification, sustainable soil and water management, and agroecology can help enhance resilience, diversify livelihoods, and increase income.
Sustainable innovation can “move mountains”.
Grounding technological, institutional, social, policy and financial innovation in local realities can address mountain communities’ marginalization and vulnerability. For example, combining local knowledge and field surveys with geographic information system data, satellite imagery, and remote sensing strengthens disaster management and habitat plans. Investments in digital inclusion and innovative financing for small and medium mountain enterprises improve livelihoods.
Nature-based solutions in mountains are pivotal for conserving environments and fostering climate adaptation.
Silvopastoralism, forest restoration, and sustainable soil management can address climate challenges for mountain communities while advancing ecosystem conservation. Effective biodiversity conservation includes habitat protection, ecological corridors, and sustainable land use practices. Impactful nature-based solutions require long-term investment, cross-sectoral planning, inclusive governance frameworks and broad multi-actor engagement, including gender mainstreaming.
Indigenous Peoples, women and local communities are key for climate solutions in mountains.
Local and traditional knowledge fosters tailored solutions that promote resilience, equity and sustainability in mountains. Indigenous Peoples offer ecological expertise, land stewardship practices, community cohesion, and cultural heritage that can be a source of strength during times of climate-related stress. Participatory methods for capturing diverse mountain voices are vital for exploring future pathways to navigate climate-related challenges.
The future of the mountain agenda relies on meaningful youth engagement.
Youth drive climate action and societal change. Sustainable mountain development relies on their engagement in decision-making with greater diversity, inclusion and representation. Youth-led programmes and enterprises, coupled with financing and intergenerational collaboration, can spur solutions in mountains. Equal access to education, health, employment, and credit is key to engage youth and halt out-migration.
Safeguarding mountain forests helps mitigate the impacts of climate change.
Forest cover 39 percent of the global mountain area. Healthy mountain forests conserve watersheds, protect against natural hazards and act as carbon sinks, playing an important role in carbon capture. When sustainably managed, mountain forests are important sources for livelihoods, increasing mountain communities’ resilience to climate change.