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

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.

IMD and the MP Global Meeting ahead

IMD and the MP Global Meeting ahead

peak to peak

Issue 111 – Month 12 – Year 2017

The December issue of Peak to Peak provides an overview of the Mountain Partnership’s upcoming activities for International Mountain Day and the fifth Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership, to be held in Rome, Italy on 11-13 December 2017. The newsletter...

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Resilient Hindu Kush Himalaya: Developing Solutions towards a Sustainable Future for Asia

Resilient Hindu Kush Himalaya: Developing Solutions towards a Sustainable Future for Asia

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The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), jointly with the Ministry of Population and Environment of Nepal and with support from the European Union, is hosting an international conference titled “Resilient Hindu Kush Himalaya: Developing Solutions towards a Sustainable Future for Asia” on 3-6 December in Kathmandu,...

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Mountains and islands – COP23

Mountains and islands – COP23

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Mountain governments, institutions and NGOs explored issues in Bonn, Germany related to climate change adaptation and management as well as sharing experiences between the Mountain Partnership and Global Island Partnership, alliances that address the effects of climate change on vulnerable ecosystems. Organized within the framework of the Mountain Partnership, the...

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IMD and the MP Global Meeting ahead

IMD and the MP Global Meeting ahead

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International Mountain Day (IMD) is held every year on 11 December and celebrated all over the world. As the lead coordinating agency for the preparation of this United Nations international day, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) works with the decentralized offices, governments and civil society...

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International Congress on Climate Change and its Impacts

International Congress on Climate Change and its Impacts

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Evidence shows that Earth’s climate is rapidly changing and its impacts are affecting the whole planet. Nonetheless, the mechanisms and processes of such changes, as well as the planet´s future perspectives remain largely elusive. Several questions regarding the climate trends and variability need further debate.

For instance, how much of the...

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First West African Mountain Forum held in Togo

First West African Mountain Forum held in Togo

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The first West African Mountain Forum was held in Kpalime, Togo on 5-8 October 2017. Although West African mountains are not the world’s highest, they have a key role for the food security of the area, are rich in biodiversity and are important to the overall sustainable development of the...

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