Events

UNFF19 side event: "Five Years of Action for the sustainable development of mountain regions: promoting mountain forests"

From: 10.05.2024 to: 10.05.2024

Mountain forests make up to 28 percent of all natural forest cover worldwide. Mountain forests provide a wide range of ecosystem services, such as stabilizing slopes, regulating the hydrological cycles, maintaining rich biodiversity and supporting livelihoods. They also play a significant role in disaster risk reduction in mountain regions by protecting people, settlements and infrastructure against natural hazards including avalanches, landslides or flood.

This side event on mountains is organized by the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic jointly with the UN Group of Friends for Mountains  within the framework of the Mountain Partnership and under the Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions (2023-2027). This quinquennium devoted to mountains was proclaimed by the UNGA resolution A/RES/77/172 (14 December 2022) on Sustainable mountain development  sponsored by 110 governments and negotiated by Italy and Kyrgyzstan.   

The aim of the Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions is to promote sustainable mountain development and improve the livelihoods of mountain people through international processes, governance, research and innovation, and increased awareness and investments.  

The side event will be an opportunity for UNFF members and other stakeholders to discuss initiatives and opportunities for increased international cooperation within the framework of the Five Years of Action, and in relation to the thematic priorities in support of the implementation of the United Nations strategic plan for forests 2017–2030.

The event will take place on 10 May from 13.15 to 14.30 EDT in conference room 8 at UN headquarters in New York, NY, USA.

Event objectives:    

• promote the Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions (2023-2027) as an important mechanism for the implementation of the United Nations strategic plan for forests 2017–2030 and for accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in mountains (SDG 17)
• discuss mobilizing financial resources including climate-related funds for scaling up nature-based solutions and resilient infrastructure in mountain regions
• promote the Mountain Partnership as an example of an alliance for mountains coordinating successful UN initiatives such as the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development 2022 and the Five Years of Action (SDG 17) and strengthening scientific and technical cooperation