“The first Global Mountain Sustainability Forum entitled “Sustainability Governance: International Frameworks and Local Contributions”, jointly organized by the GLOMOS programme and the Eurac Research Center for Advanced Studies, has just come to a close. Researchers from around the world came together to discuss global developments and critical issues in sustainability in mountain regions, including natural resources, tourism, and governance.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the two-day conference took place virtually. But the pandemic not only influenced the format of the conference, it also became an important point of discussion. Dr. Julia Klein, Associate Professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Sustainability at Colorado State University, emphasized the importance of not losing sight of climate change during the current health crisis, saying that the inhabitants of mountain regions have to be involved right now in the creation of a sustainable and just post-COVID world. Mountain regions are less densely populated than many other areas, but because 50 percent of biodiversity hotspots can be found there and they hold 60-80 percent of the world’s fresh water, their protection is crucial.
“Unfortunately, mountains are considered among the most sensitive regions with regards to global warming and intensifying climate variability. It is very likely that climate change has particularly fast and direct consequences on the frequency and intensity of natural hazards occurring in these regions,” emphasized Dr. Shen Xiaomeng, Director of UNU-EHS in her welcome note. […]”
Read the full article on the Global Mountain Forum by UNU-EHS here.
