Mountains loom large in some of the world’s most spectacular landscapes. Their unique topography, compressed climatic zones and isolation have created the conditions for a wide spectrum of life forms.
Half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots are concentrated in mountains and mountains support approximately one-quarter of terrestrial biological diversity. Mountains are home to rare species of plants and animals. These include increasingly rare animals such as gorillas, mountain lions, and the majestic tahr or strikingly beautiful plants such as orchids and lobelias.
A large portion of the world's most precious gene pools (for agriculture and medicine) are preserved in mountains. Crops that are important for food security, such as maize, potatoes, barley, sorghum, tomatoes and apples, have been diversified in mountains and an array of domestic animals - sheep, goats, yaks, llamas and alpacas - have originated or been diversified in mountains. Other crops, such as wheat, rye, rice, oats and grapes, have found new homes in the mountains and evolved into many varieties. Coffee and tea, with their roots in Ethiopia and the Himalayan region, are mountain crops as well. Medicinal plants are one of the most valuable resources from high altitudes. This rich biodiversity holds cultural, ecological and economic value. In the Andes, for example, farmers know of as many as 200 different varieties of Indigenous Peoples' potatoes and, in Nepal, they farm approximately 2 000 varieties of rice.
Climate change, poverty, commercial mining, logging and poaching all exact a heavy toll on mountain biodiversity. The sustainable management of mountain biodiversity has increasingly been recognized as a global priority. The Convention on Biological Diversity adopted a Programme of Work on Mountain Biological Diversity in 2004, which includes a set of actions and targets addressing characteristics and problems that are specific to mountain ecosystems.
![]() 2022 MPS Annual Report now available onlinepeak to peakThe July 2023 issue of Peak to Peak announces the release of the 2022 Mountain Partnership Secretariat Annual Report, now available online. Top news stories include the International Network of Mountain Indigenous Peoples, IIED and the MPS' side event at the UN Water Conference, a Members' Voices featuring Tara Gujadhur... Download » |
![]() Apply for "GROW - Agrobiodiversity in a Changing Climate" 2023newsThe application for the 2023 edition of the online training programme GROW - Agrobiodiversity in a Changing Climate, to be held on 14–24 November, is now open. One of the world's greatest challenges is to secure access for all to adequate supplies of food that are healthy, safe and high... Read more » |
![]() New strategy paper on climate change and security in the Shar/Šara Mountains and Korab Massif areanewsBiodiversity loss is one of humanity's greatest challenges. Amplified by climate change, it threatens not only ecosystems but also the people who depend on them. On 9 June 2023, member the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) – a member of the Mountain Partnership – and Berlin-based think tank... Read more » |
![]() Call for proposals for the Business Incubator and Accelerator for Mountains and Islands, deadline extended to 7 June 2023peak to peakThe June 2023 issue of Peak to Peak announces the extension of the deadline to submit proposals for grants to the Business Incubator and Accelerator for Mountains and Islands, now open until 7 June 2023. Top news stories cover a campaign by ICIMOD to raise awareness of the effects of... Download » |
![]() Call for grant proposals for the Business Incubator and Accelerator for Mountains and Islands, deadline extended to 7 June 2023newsThe deadline to submit project proposals for grants through the Business Incubator and Accelerator (BIA) for Mountains and Islands has been extended to 7 June 2023. The Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), together with the Global Environment Facility Small Grants... Read more » |
![]() Meet the Steering Committee: GRID-Arendal, Representative of Global Major Group OrganizationsnewsThe Mountain Partnership is guided by an 18-member Steering Committee that represents the diversity of the entire membership and ensures geographic representation. A new Steering Committee is elected approximately every four years. Most recently, elections were held in September 2022 during the sixth Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership. In this new series, we...
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