Water


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. 

IPROMO 2018: Bioeconomy in mountain areas

IPROMO 2018: Bioeconomy in mountain areas

news

The bioeconomy of the world’s mountains will be under discussion at the 2018 International Programme on Research and Training on Sustainable Management of Mountain Areas (IPROMO) in Ormea and Pieve Tesino, Italy, from 18 June to 2 July. Some 37 technical officers and researchers from more than 20 countries will...

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Mountain Futures in China

Mountain Futures in China

news

Researchers and representatives from governments, mountain communities and private sector companies from across the globe meet at the four-day Mountain Futures 2018 conference to discuss inspiration and innovation from the world highlands.
The conference, organized by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and Kunming Institute of Botany (KIB), Chinese Academy of...

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Call for Mountain Postcards from the Alps

Call for Mountain Postcards from the Alps

news

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) aims to beat the Guinness World Record of the largest composed postcard with the help of children and youth. Mountain postcards from all over the world will be presented on the largest glacier of the Alps on 30 October 2018.

The Paris Agreement...

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Sustainable water management at ForumAlpinum

Sustainable water management at ForumAlpinum

news

From 4-8 June 2018, 2018, water experts from around the Alps gathered in Breitenwang, Austria, where the 7th Water Conference of the Alpine Convention, took place in the scope of the ForumAlpinum, a biannual event by the International Scientific Committee on Research in the Alps (ISCAR),...

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Forests and water in mountain catchments: education, citizen science and the Mountain Partnership

Forests and water in mountain catchments: education, citizen science and the Mountain Partnership

event

A thematic session on “Forest and water in mountain catchments: education, citizen science and Mountain Partnership” will take place during the International Environmental Education Conference, to be held on 30 May–1 June 2018 at Eger University in Hungary. In the framework of the European Forestry Commission Working Party on the...

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61st Congress of Rotary District 2080

61st Congress of Rotary District 2080

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Giorgio Grussu of the Mountain Partnership Secretariat will present the Coalition for Fragile Ecosystems that the Mountain Partnership and Global Island Partnership are building together at the 61st Congress of Rotary District 2080 (Rome, Lazio, Sardinia), to be held on 25 May 2018 Santa Teresa di Gallura, Sardinia, Italy. The...

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