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.
![]() Romania adopts national mountain lawnewsFollowing fifteen years of efforts , the official Romanian “Mountain Law” for a better future in mountain areas was adopted during the 11th “Euromontana” Convention that took place 25-27 September 2018 in Suceava County (North Carpathians), Romania. - The delineation of the... Read more » |
![]() Workshop on mountain transboundary cooperationnewsMountain transboundary cooperation was the topic of a one-day expert workshop organized by the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (DG REGIO) of the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium, on 9 November 2018. The seminar was attended by approximately 120 participants from EU Institutions, interregional programmes, international organizations and representatives of... Read more » |
![]() Caucasus Mountain Forum 2018eventThe second Caucasus Mountain Forum, organized by the Scientific Network for the Caucasus Region under the theme “The Caucasus Research Agenda – a Key to Sustainable Regional Development”, will be held from 30 October to 2 November 2018 in Ankara, Turkey. The 2018 Caucasus Mountain Forum theme encompasses the subject... Read more » |
![]() Mountaineering in PakistannewsThe first course of “The Swat Project,” took place last month, where instructors of Mountain Wilderness International (Asian Desk) went to Pakistan to run an eco-compatible mountaineering course for young locals of the mountainous Swat region. The course was the first stage of what is known as “The... Read more » |
![]() World Mountain Forum 2018eventUnder the theme “Mountains in a changing world: strengthening partnership and pathways towards a thriving mountain future”, the fourth World Mountain Forum will be held on 23–26 October 2018, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, hosted by the Government of Kyrgyzstan with support from the Government of Switzerland, the... Read more » |
![]() Cultural heritage at the European Mountain ConventionnewsFrom 25 to 27 September 2018, nearly 200 mountain stakeholders from all over Europe gathered in Vatra Dornei, Romania, to participate in the European Mountain Convention on “Cultural Heritage as an Engine for Creativity, Innovation and Socioeconomic Development of Mountain areas”, organised jointly by Euromontana and several Romanian... Read more » |
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