UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres calls on mountain countries to take bold action on climate change mitigation and adaption

External links

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report and its Cross-Chapter Paper 5 on Mountains

Climate change impacts on mountain regions of the world

Climate-Smart Agriculture

Mountain Research Initiative (MRI)

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Mountains and climate change

Human activities are profoundly affecting the world’s climate, and mountains are a sensitive indicator of that effect. Because of their altitude, slope and orientation to the sun, mountain ecosystems are easily disrupted by variations in climate. Many scientists believe that the changes occurring in mountain ecosystems may provide an early glimpse of what could come to pass in lowland environments.

As the world heats up, mountain glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates, while rare plants and animals struggle to survive over ever diminishing areas, and mountain peoples, already among the world’s poorest citizens, face even greater hardships.

Changes in the volume of mountain glaciers and in their seasonal melting patterns have an impact on water resources in many parts of the world. Changes in water availability due to climate change are taking place at a time when pressure on water resources for irrigation and food production, industrialization and urbanization is increasing.

Understanding how climate change affects mountains is vital as governments and international organizations develop strategies to reverse current global warming trends, elaborating treaties such as the Kyoto Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. In addition, local community empowerment can be an essential step towards building climate change resilience in mountains.

UNFCCC COP29 Side Event: Human Mobility and Climate Change in Mountain Areas – Priorities for Action

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Mountain regions worldwide are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, where shifting mobility patterns create both challenges and opportunities for adaptation. This side event will highlight priorities for addressing climate-related mobility in mountain areas and discuss strategies for integrating these into the Five Years of Action for the Development...

UNFCCC COP 29 side event: Education for People, Planet, Peace, and Prosperity

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The Zero Water Day Partnership is organizing a virtual event, "Education for People, Planet, Peace, and Prosperity," on 18 November during UNFCCC COP 29 in Baku. The event will focus on how education supports climate action, sustainable development, and protecting Earth-system boundaries, with particular attention to SDG Targets 4.7 (education...

Human mobility in mountain areas in a changing climate

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The document, Human mobility in mountain areas in a changing climate, examines how climate change impacts human mobility in mountainous regions. These areas are increasingly vulnerable to both sudden hazards, like landslides and floods, and slow-onset changes, such as temperature rise and shifts in precipitation. These environmental stressors drive varied...

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Informal Summary Report on the Expert Dialogue on Mountains and Climate Change

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This publication highlights the role of mountain ecosystems in supporting both local and global socioecological systems and enhancing climate resilience. With mounting pressures from climate change, safeguarding and restoring mountain ecosystems is essential to maintain biodiversity, water resources, and livelihood support systems for millions of people. Effective management of these...