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.
United Nations General Assembly Resolution: Sustainable Mountain Development (2022)publicationResolution approved by the United Nations General Assembly on sustainable mountain development at seventy-seventh session. A/RES/77/172 Download » |
United Nations General Assembly Report: Sustainable mountain development (2022)publicationReport of the Secretary-General on Sustainable Mountain Development Download » |
Launching event of the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Developmentpeak to peakThe May 2022 issue of Peak to Peak highlights the opening ceremony of the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development 2022. Top news stories cover the release of the Global Mountain Biodiversity Assessment's new global mountain inventory, a workshop hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's World Network... Download » |
International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development, 2022publicationOn 16 December 2021, the United Nations General Assembly adopted by consensus a resolution proclaiming 2022 the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development at the proposal of the Kyrgyz Government. The resolution was sponsored by 94 governments and invites the Mountain Partnership to facilitate the observance of this Year. |
Fifth World Congress on Disaster ManagementeventThe Fifth World Congress on Disaster Management (WCDM-2021) is being organised in New Delhi from 24 to 27 November 2021 to deliberate on three critical issues that pose the serious challenges as well as hold the possible promises of building resilience to disasters. These are technology, finance and capacity. The...
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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 » |
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