Mountain Ecosystems

Presenting the work of Adaptation at Altitude

Mountain Ecosystems

Presenting the work of Adaptation at Altitude

At first glance, mountains may seem like just another ecosystem that is nice to admire and visit. But what many people do not realize is that mountains aren’t just important because they’re a part of nature; they have major impacts on the entire world, no matter the elevation.

For example, although we sometimes take water for granted, it’s important to remember where much of our freshwater supply comes from: that’s right, mountains. Mountains are responsible for providing half of the global population with freshwater for drinking and agriculture, and renewable energy for many more because they supply the lakes and rivers we rely on. Climate change can bring disrupted weather patterns and water flows, meaning that those of us who live downstream might start to wonder why we don’t have as much water as usual. In areas with water insecurity, these changes could be deadly.

Mountains are also where a large number of natural hazards occur – and the impacts aren’t limited to elevated areas. In fact, between 2005 and 2014, 70% of disaster-related deaths occurred in mountain communities. Whether it be earthquakes, avalanches, or floods, the disasters that happen in mountain areas have a tendency to be highly dangerous and effects that spill over downhill.

Looking at the SDGs, addressing many of the global development challenges will be absolutely impossible without adequately incorporating mountains. These communities tend to be the poorest, worst-connected to basic services, and extremely vulnerable to risks, including climate change. Temperatures will rise much quicker at higher elevations, disrupting access to water and agriculture, which many rely on to survive. Without a proper plan in place to address climate change impacts, many communities will be left without a viable way to survive.

Switzerland has engaged with mountain development and communities for a long time, its commitment going back to the Rio Conference in 1992. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation’s Adaptation at Altitude programme works to ensure that mountain communities increase their resilience to climate change. Adaptation at Altitude is trying to close this gap by creating an online portal of solutions to showcase some of the tried and true projects for addressing climate change adaptation in mountains.

The database has taken solutions from all over the world and gives the opportunity for practitioners to read about potential options. Through this portal, it will give the chance for exchange and hopefully lead to greater innovation for mountains to improve their resilience.

You can learn more about Adaptation at Altitude and the Solutions Portal by going to our website: adaptationataltitude.org

Here you’ll find resources about mountains and climate change, see what partner organizations are doing, and learn how to keep mountains in mind as we work toward achieving the SDGs.

By Alexandra Mackey, Otto Simonett, and Nina Saalismaa

previous page: A group of Wakhi women comes back from their daily excursion across the Hunza riverbed to gather fodder and wood for their cooking fires. ©Matthieu Paley