Disaster risk management

Mountains are hazardous places. Many mountain communities live under the threat of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions caused by shifting tectonic plates. Gravity pushing down on sloping land compounds the destructive power of storms and heavy rains, producing avalanches, landslides and floods. Population growth, climate change and unsustainable natural resource management practices are putting dangerous pressure on the mountain ecosystems and making mountain communities increasingly vulnerable to disasters.

Women, children and the elderly are especially vulnerable to disasters. And in many mountain areas, it is these members of the community that are looking after mountain homesteads, as the men move to lowland cities or abroad to earn a better income and support their family through remittances.

Forces from outside mountain communities, such as commercial logging interests and market-driven agricultural production, also put pressure on mountain ecosystems. All of this can lead to deforestation and environmental degradation. The loss of forest cover deprives mountain communities of a protective barrier against landslides and avalanches and further contributes to increased soil erosion and water run off.

To reduce the risks of disasters in mountain areas it is urgent to increase awareness and to develop integrated strategies and policies on disaster risk management at the national level. Policy-makers involved with disaster risk management cannot afford to neglect mountains, considering the high number of natural hazards in mountain areas and the high vulnerability of mountain communities.

Evaluation workshop for project "Enhancing community resilience to climate change in mountain watersheds"

event

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) project "Enhancing Community Resilience to Climate Change in Mountain Watersheds" (GCP/GLO/042/JPN), funded by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) and supported by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat, aims to strengthen the capacities of institutions and communities in forest-based...

Side event: Human mobility in the context of climate change in mountain areas – evidence, gaps and priorities

event

The International Organization for Migration will be hosting a side event at the 3rd High-Level International Conference on International Decade for Action “Water for Sustainable Development”, 2018-2028 in Dushanbe, Republic of Tajikistan. The event will be a moderated discussion held in person on 11 June (time and location to be confirmed).

The event will...

Workshop participants in Pakistan learn to measure mountain communities' vulnerability

news

Climate-induced threats were identified as a main vulnerability factor for mountain communities in Pakistan during a workshop organized by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), together with the University of Rome "La Sapienza", on 8–10 May 2024 in Islamabad.

The technical...

Global Land Outlook rangelands report

publication

In anticipation of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP) in 2026, this report serves as a catalyst for global awareness and action. It analyses numerous case studies and good practices from around the world, drawing on the experience and lessons learned, and advocates for a new paradigm to...

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UNFF19: Safeguarding mountain forests for sustainable mountain development

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On 10 May, the Governments of Kyrgyzstan, Italy and Nepal, in collaboration with the UN Group of Friends for Mountains, hosted a side event at the 19th Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF19) at UN headquarters in New York. The event emphasized the pivotal role of mountains...

Call for papers: geohazards susceptibility mapping for land use planning and risk management

news

The Journal of Maps is inviting submissions for an article collection on geohazards and their susceptibility mapping for land use planning and risk management. Contributions concerning (but not limited to) analytical approaches, methods comparisons, case studies and land planning/civil protection are welcome. Multidisciplinary approaches and the use of...