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.
![]() International Mountain Day 2019 Einaudi concert in Milanpeak to peakThe 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 FuturepublicationThe 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... Download » |
![]() United Nations General Assembly Report: Sustainable mountain development (2019)publicationReport of the Secretary-General on Sustainable Mountain Development
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![]() Science Magazine, Policy Forum: "Accelerating the movement for mountain peoples and policies"publicationYuka Makino, Sara Manuelli and Lindsey Hook from the Mountain Partnership authored this article for Science, a peer-reviewed, academic journal produced by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The article covers the current movement for mountain peoples and policies, details how these policies have far-reaching impacts on those... Download » |
![]() International Mountain ConferenceeventEvaluating the responses of mountains to climate change and mountains’ resilience as social-ecological systems requires the consideration of multiple and mutually interacting stressors. The International Mountain Conference 2019 aims to encourage in-depth cross-disciplinary discussions towards a new understanding of mountain systems, their responses and resiliencies. The International Mountain Conference 2019 will... Read more » |
![]() 2018 Annual Report now available onlinepeak to peakIssue 130 - Month 9 - Year 2019 The September 2019 issue of Peak to Peak begins with the release of the Mountain Partnership Secretariat Annual Report 2018. Continuing with the new Members' Voices section, Ruel Inojaldo Perez from the Baslay Farmers Association (BFA) explains his journey to becoming the Chairman of... Download » |
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