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.

Mainstreaming mountain biodiversity

peak to peak

This issue of Peak to Peak kicks off with a recap of the Informal Mountain Gathering, held on the sidelines of the Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework at FAO headquarters. This month's Members' Voices features Bibiana Vilá, a biologist in Argentina specializing in vicuñas. The newsletter...

Download »

2020 Booklet of Good Practices for vibrant European mountains

publication

To celebrate the start of 2020, Euromontana – the European Association of Mountain Areas - published a new booklet of good practices. This brochure is the result of the exchange of good practices carried out by Euromontana in 2019 and aims at showcasing innovative initiatives for the development of...

Download »

Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 19 December 2019: Sustainable mountain development

publication

Report of the Secretary-General on Sustainable Mountain Development

Download here

Download »

International Mountain Day 2019 Einaudi concert in Milan

peak to peak

The December 2019 issue of Peak to Peak highlights International Mountain Day, held every year on 11 December. The newsletter includes an announcement of the Einaudi concert to be held in Milan to celebrate this year's IMD. The newsletter continues with the Members' Voices section, this month featuring a college...

Download »

WMO High Mountain Summit Call to Action: Avoiding the Impending Crisis in Mountain Weather, Climate, Snow, Ice and Water - Pathways to a Sustainable Global Future

publication

The participants at the High Mountain Summit 2019 following engaging presentations and inter- and trans-disciplinary dialogues, have committed to the goal that people living in mountains and those living downstream shall have open access to and use of ‘fit-for-purpose’ hydrological, meteorological and climate information services that address their need to...