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.
Action called for livestock in mountainsnewsIn order to facilitate an open and inclusive platform for dialogue and building consensus on global sustainability issues related to livestock, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), together with partner organizations, held the 6th Multiple-Stakeholder Partnership meeting on 20-23 June in Panama City, Panama. During the meeting, the future of... Read more » |
![]() Newsletter for West Africa mountainsnewsThe Platform of Civil Society Organization for the Safeguard of Mountains (PSM) began a newsletter for green actors in seven countries of West Africa. PSM is a platform for the stability of mountains and the wellbeing of mountain communities in West Africa and includes some Mountain Partnership members. With the release... Read more » |
![]() Alpine Summer SchooleventThe Italian-French summer school, "Fundamental processes in geophysical fluid dynamics and the climate system," is organized each year by the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC) - CNR (Turin, Italy) and by the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (France). This year the ten-day course is dedicated to understanding... Read more » |
![]() Call for abstracts: Caucasus Mountain ForumnewsDesigned to be a meeting place for scientists, policy makers and practitioners, the Caucasus Mountain Forum 2016 will provide an opportunity for different kinds of contributions. The Scientific Network will organize the Forum for the Caucasus Mountain Region in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 27 November-1 December and invite submissions for the... Read more » |
![]() Why is food insecurity rising in mountains?newsThere are many interrelated factors behind this troubling trend, explains Andrew Taber of The Mountain Institute, referring to data revealed by “Mapping the Vulnerability of Mountain Peoples to Food Insecurity”, a study conducted by the Food and Agriculture Organization in collaboration with the Mountain Partnership Secretariat. According to... Read more » |
![]() Action in mountains vital to global goalspeak to peak Issue 93 – Month 6 – Year 2016 The June issue of Peak to Peak begins with the coverage of an MPS event where United Nations diplomats called for efforts to address the rising rate of food insecurity in mountainous areas...
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