International Mountain Day 2020 observed around the world with the theme of ‘mountain biodiversity’
Travel Biz News —
People and mountain related organizations around the world celebrated International Mountain Day (IMD) today organizing various events.
Mountain biodiversity is the theme of this year’s International Mountain Day.
Biodiversity encompasses the variety of ecosystems, species and genetic resources, and mountains have many endemic varieties.
The differentiated topography in terms of altitude, slope and exposure in mountains offers opportunities to grow a variety of high-value crops, horticulture, livestock and forest species.
The International Mountain Day has been celebrated across the world since 2003 for sustainable development of the mountaineering sector.
The increasing attention to the importance of mountains led the UN to declare to 2002 the UN International Year of Mountains.
Mountains are home to 15% of the world´s population and host about half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. They provide freshwater for everyday life to half of humanity.
Mountain conservation is a key factor for sustainable development and is part of Goal 15 of the SDGs of the United Nations.
According to UN report, mountains are under threat from climate change and overexploitation. As the global climate continues to warm, mountain people -some of the world’s poorest -face even greater struggles to survive.
The rising temperatures also mean that mountain glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates, affecting freshwater supplies downstream for millions of people.
“This problem affects us all. We must reduce our carbon footprint and take care of these natural treasures,” UN said.
Mountains loom large in some of the world’s most spectacular landscapes. Their unique topography, compressed climatic zones and isolation have created the conditions for a wide spectrum of life forms.
“Climate change, unsustainable farming practices, commercial mining, logging, and poaching all exact a heavy toll on mountain biodiversity. In addition, land use and land cover change, and natural disasters, accelerate biodiversity loss and contribute to creating a fragile environment for mountain communities. Ecosystem degradation, loss of livelihoods and migration in mountains can lead to the abandonment of cultural practices and ancient traditions that have sustained biodiversity for generations, “ UN said.
The sustainable management of mountain biodiversity has been increasingly recognized as a global priority. Sustainable Development Goal 15, target four, is dedicated to the conservation of mountains’ biodiversity in consideration of its global relevance, according to a statement issued by FAO of the United Nations.
Dec. 11 , 2020
Image : Mt. Everest / Photo – Chungba Sherpa
