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.
![]() Mountains, one year after the Paris AgreementnewsOne year ago, on 22 April (Earth Day) 2016, 175 of the 197 Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) gathered at United Nations Headquarters in New York to sign the Paris Agreement, an international treaty to address climate change. As of today, one year after... Read more » |
![]() Italian mountain products survive earthquakesnewsIn Italy, recession and limited GDP growth have prevailed during the last decade, and in the Apennine Mountains, incomes are particularly low. In addition, recent earthquakes have reduced tourism. Historians state that the Apennine Mountains, running the length of Italy, have shaped the economy and history of Italy by making... Read more » |
![]() A UN entity to insure mountains have a voicepeak to peakIssue 102 – Month 3 – Year 2017 The March issue of Peak to Peak opens with a news about two Mountain Partnership (MP) members presenting an oral statement on behalf of the MP during the 55th Commission for Social Development at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The... Download » |
Climate change certificate programme in NepalnewsTo address the growing challenges of climate change and disaster risk reduction, 70 district officials in the Chitwan District, Nepal gathered on 14 February to start a four-month certification programme in climate change. The certificate programme has been organized by the Chitwan District Development Committee, Government of Nepal with technical... Read more » |
![]() Adaptation Outlook for the Hindu Kush HimalayanewsAs the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) is one of the most vulnerable regions on Earth to climate change, implementing adaptation measures that target these mountains and downstream areas is crucial. But to what extent are existing national and sectoral adaptation policies relevant to the HKH, and where can they be... Read more » |
![]() Mountain Research and Development issue onlinenewsThe articles in this issue of Mountain Research and Development derive from papers presented at the 2015 Perth III “Mountains of Our Future Earth” conference and align themselves with research themes of Future Earth. The papers feature a Canadian software tool to compare mountain photos for environmental monitoring,... Read more » |
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