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.
![]() International Conference on Snow Hydrology “SnowHydro”eventThe purpose of the SnowHydro conference is to present recent research findings in all areas of snow hydrology, to facilitate scientific discussions and to provide opportunities for collaboration and cooperation. The conference shall attract scientists, students and other professionals with different geographic origin and scientific background. The participation of early... Read more » |
![]() International Water SummiteventThe International Water Summit, a platform for ideas and innovation on the future of water, engages private and public sectors in three days of networking, dialogue and knowledge exchange to overcome the challenge of water scarcity in arid regions. The summit brings together industry leaders from around the world to... Read more » |
![]() Energy poverty in the mountains of TajikistannewsPeople living in remote, rural communities in Tajikistan face serious difficulties accessing energy sources. This is one of the main reasons for the increased pressure on natural resources in mountain areas. The lack of access to electricity supply has a negative impact on the livelihoods of local communities and impairs... Read more » |
![]() 15 years of Mountain PartnershippublicationThis publication celebrates the work of the Mountain Partnership - the only United Nations alliance dedicated to improving the lives of mountain communities and their ecosystems - over 15 years. It profiles key players, charts the achievements at global, regional and national level, and showcases success stories around the world.... Download » |
![]() Watershed management in actionpublicationThis study reviewed the achievements, and also the shortcomings, of 12 watershed management projects technically supported by FAO over the past decade, with a view to learning from experience. Unlike sectoral development approaches, watershed management involves examining the interactions among various natural processes and land uses and managing land, water... Download » |
![]() Mountain Ecosystem Services and Climate Change: A Global Overview of Potential Threats and Strategies for AdaptationpublicationMountains provide vital resources to a significant proportion of the global population, particularly as the ‘water towers’ of the world, and as a result of their high biological diversity at genetic, species and ecosystem levels. As well as benefiting people and industries in lowland areas, these ecosystem services (ES) form... Download » |
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