The effects of climate change in mountain communities: the case of the Pyrenees

 

 

The effects of climate change in mountain communities:  the case of the Pyrenees

Carla Mucavi, Director, FAO Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York

 

Your Excellency. Mrs. Elisenda Vives Balmaña, Permanent Representative of Andorra to the United Nations,

Your Excellency Mr. Agustin Santos Maraver, Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations,

Your excellencies,

Distinguished panelists,

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

FAO is honored to co-host this event with the Permanent Missions of Andorra, Spain and France and other partners committed to sustainable mountain development. FAO attaches great importance to this issue and is a founding member of the Mountain Partnership, the only United Nations voluntary alliance dedicated to improving the lives of mountain peoples and protecting mountain environments around the world.

 

We can consider this event as the informal beginning of a series of conversations in 2019 focusing or related to mountains. These include the High-Level Political Forums in July and the SDG and Climate Summits in September. I would also like to recall that the Secretary General will also present a report on sustainable mountain development to the upcoming session of the General Assembly. 

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

The health of mountains concerns all of us.

 

Despite serving such vital functions for the ecosystem and people, mountains are facing an unprecedented threats, with climate change as the main one. In this context, it is essential that we prioritize climate action for sustainable mountain development emphasizing a multifaceted, collaborative solution.

 

Action at the local level is needed to strengthen the adaptive capacity and climate resilience of mountain communities. And let me say here that we must recognize mountain communities for what they are: custodians of key ecosystem services and goods, that often face uphill battles because of their isolation and marginalization.

 

These actions include diversification of food systems and livelihoods options, protection of agrobiodiversity, increase of generation and use of climate and disaster risk information, and strengthening of institutions for climate adaptation.

 

Allow me to share two examples of how FAO and the Mountain Partnership Secretariat are contributing to this effort.

 

In 2015, FAO and Slow Food International presented the Mountain Partnership Products initiative, a participatory certification and labeling scheme for small-scale mountain producers now operating in seven countries for 17 products. This aims to improve the livelihoods and local economies of mountain communities by strengthening the value chain and marketing techniques for high-quality mountain products.

 

In 2018, the Department of Tourism of the Philippines, the Mountain Partnership Secretariat and Slow Food launched the pilot project "Food & Tourism for Mountain Development" to connect small-scale producers with tourism service providers. In doing so, it will help promote mountain products from Philippines' Cordillera region, build climate resilience, safeguard indigenous food and boost the local economy by creating more income-generation opportunities for local mountain communities.

 

Ladies and gentlemen,

I gave an overview of challenges that mountain and mountain communities face and efforts to overcome them. The fact that we are looking today at one particular region, the Pyrenees, will allow us to focus on how these challenges are being dealt in a much more localized manner. I look forward to hearing from the experts on the experience and best practices of the Pyrenees which are valuable examples for other mountain regions.

 

To end, let me say that to protect these fragile mountain ecosystems and the rich cultural heritage of mountain peoples, we all need to step up our efforts. I hope that our collective commitment will lead to a greater recognition of the linkage between mountains, mountain peoples and a healthy planet and positive change for mountain ecosystems and people.

 

Thank you for your attention.