UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres calls on mountain countries to take bold action on climate change mitigation and adaption
External links
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 COP21 side event: Adapting to climate change – success stories and challenges from across mountain rangeseventThe Mountain Partnership Secretariat, Government of Tajikistan and Asociación Civil Oikos (OIKOS) are holding a side event during the 21st session of the Conference of Parties (COP21) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on 10 December at 13:15 - 14:45...
|
Mapping the vulnerability of mountain peoples to food insecuritypublicationFor millions of people living in mountainous areas, hunger and the threat of hunger are nothing new. Harsh climates and the difficult, often inaccessible terrain, combined with political and social marginality make mountain peoples vulnerable to food shortages. Download » |
Mountain events at climate change summitpeak to peakIssue 87 – Month 12 – Year 2015 The December issue of the Peak to Peak opens with a story about mountain related events at the UNFCCC COP21 which include two side events co-organized by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat. The newsletter also features news about a proposal... Download » |
Sign the petition for mountainspeak to peakIssue 86 – Month 11 – Year 2015 The November issue of the Peak to Peak opens with a story about the online petition calling for action on climate change in mountains. The newsletter also features news about MP Steering Committee and Perth Conference on state of... Download » |
March for the EartheventEarth Day Italia Onlus will host the March for the Earth on 8 November in recognition of Pope Francis’ recent appeal for integral ecology to raise awareness about climate change and social injustice. Participants will gather at the Colosseum at 9:00 and begin walking the route along Via...
|
Sign the petition for mountainsnewsThe current draft of the international climate change agreement has a proposed mention of mountains, which the petition being circulated by the Mountain Partnership (MP) aims to retain in the final draft. (Please sign the petition here.) The online petition calls on delegates at the 21st session of...
|
Mountain Partnership
| Our work
| Focus areas
| Follow Us
Subscribe to Peak to Peak Newsletter
|
