Each day, one of every two people on the planet quenches his thirst with water that originates in mountains. And as the world population swells to an estimated 9.6 billion by 2050, the worldwide demand for freshwater will continue to soar.
More than half of humanity relies on mountain freshwater for everyday life. The ten largest rivers originating in the Hindu Kush Himalayas alone supply water to over 1.35 billion people. Some of the world’s largest cities, including New York, Rio de Janeiro, Nairobi, Tokyo and Melbourne, are dependent on freshwater from mountains.
Climate change is already causing more than 600 glaciers to disappear, resulting in springs and rivers drying up. Greater frequency of extreme weather events, droughts and floods, including flash floods and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), are also expected to increase in mountains, causing imbalance between current water supply and demand.
Given the importance of mountain water resources worldwide, the careful management of mountain water resources is a global priority. Water management practices need to be adapted to different climatic zones, using locally adapted soil and water management techniques. Most importantly, watershed management must take into account the needs of all those who depend on mountain water, including those who have the greatest stake in preserving healthy mountain ecosystems – people who live in mountain areas themselves, who are often marginalized from the decision-making processes.
![]() Highlighting sustainable food systems in mountains for the UN Food Systems Summit 2021publicationAs a contribution to the discussion on sustainable food systems in mountains in the lead up to the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, an info sheet has been developed by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat and Theresa Tribaldos, Centre for Development and Environment. Mountain agriculture and food production sustain the livelihoods of... Download » |
![]() Call for inputs: 2020 MPS Annual Reportpeak to peakThe February 2021 issue of Peak to Peak opens with a call for Mountain Partnership members to submit inputs for the Secretariat's 2020 Annual Report. This month, the 'Members' Voices' section features Farmer Tantoh of the Save Your Future Association in Cameroon. Top news stories from January focus on governments in... Download » |
![]() Third GROW Summer School ends, Innovation Contest winner announcedpeak to peakThe October 2020 issue of Peak to Peak highlights the closing of the third annual GROW Agrobiodiversity in a Changing Climate Summer School and the winner of the first ever innovation contest. This month's Members' Voices is a Mountain Partnership Products producer story about goldenberry jam in Peru. Peak to... Download » |
Living Chapel launch event agendapublicationLiving Chapel launch event agenda Download » |
![]() Scaling up International Mountain Day preparationspeak to peakThis issue of Peak to Peak begins with news about the Mountain Partnership's (MP) International Mountain Day 2020 planning, based on MP member survey feedback. This month's Members' Voices features Asan Alymkulov from the BIO-KG Federation of Organic Development, Kyrgyzstan. Peak to Peak April showcases four news stories from the... Download » |
![]() FAO Assists in Enhancing the Resilience of Mountain Communities and EnvironmentspublicationThis article was written by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat Coordinator Yuka Makino for the Mountain Research and Development journal. The article outlines the ways in which the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has played a leading role in sustainable mountain development within the United Nations system.
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