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MPS releases 2023 Annual Report highlighting major achievements in sustainable mountain development

09.08.2024

The Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) has released its 2023 Annual Report, now accessible online. The report provides a comprehensive overview of the MPS's accomplishments in promoting sustainable mountain development throughout the year, together with spotlights on Mountain Partnership members' work.

Key highlights include the Secretariat's efforts in advocacy, communication and knowledge management, as well as its role in coordinating joint actions and spearheading capacity development initiatives. The report focuses on critical areas such as climate change adaptation, mountain ecosystem restoration, youth empowerment, and the promotion of mountain products and enterprises.

The year 2023 was particularly significant for mountain issues on the global stage. It marked the conclusion of the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development 2022 and the launch of the Five Years of Action for the Development of Mountain Regions (2023–2027), a framework designed to tackle the challenges facing mountain areas. Notably, thanks to the efforts of several Mountain Partnership government members, mountains were included in the global stocktake at the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The final COP28 document approved a dialogue at the 60th session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) on mountains and climate change.

International Mountain Day 2023, with the theme "Restoring mountain ecosystems," was another milestone, aligning with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030. The event, supported by a global communication campaign and a joint FAO-UNEP-MPS report, showcased best practices for strengthening mountain ecosystems' resilience and building the capacity of mountain communities to adapt to both daily challenges and extreme climatic events.

Empowering mountain producers was a key focus for the MPS in 2023. The launch of the Business Incubator and Accelerator (BIA) for Mountains and Islands, in collaboration with the UNDP-GEF Small Grant Programme, aims to foster innovative entrepreneurship in food, fashion, and tourism value chains through grants, capacity development, and tailored technical assistance.

"The year 2023 was momentous for mountains, as they finally featured centre stage in a number of major international processes and platforms," said MPS Coordinator Rosalaura Romeo in her opening message, emphasizing the importance of these developments. "Our mission for 2024 is to continue advancing the mountain agenda, stepping up our advocacy efforts in global policy fora, strengthening members' capacity to promote solutions and innovate, engaging youth and fostering cooperation, while attracting investments for a more resilient and sustainable future."

Read the Annual Report