International Year of Mountains
The United Nations declared 2002 as the International Year of Mountains to increase awareness of the global importance of mountain ecosystems and the challenges faced by mountain people. This unprecidented opportunity to address mountain issues and celebrate mountain culture evolved from the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janero, where mountains became the singular focus of chapter 13 of Agenda 21, the blueprint for sustainable development.
The United Nations designated the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as task manager for coordinating the implementation of Chapter 13 and as lead agency for the International Year of Mountains. During the International Year of Mountains, FAO worked in collaboration with partners (governments, UN agencies, and NGO's), to take the first vital steps in protecting mountain environments and bettering the lives of mountain people.
Awareness Increased
The International Year of Mountains changes the way many in the world think about and relate to mountains. Thanks to a global awareness-raising campaign that promoted countless special events and celebrations, newspaper articles and television documentaries, educational programmes and conferences - not to mention, nine major global events - many around the world understand that
- mountains are crucial to all life on earth
- half of humanity depends on mountains as a sourse of freshwater
- the genetic diversity preserved in mountain ecosystems helps to ensure the world's future food security, and
- the future of mountains and the people who call the home is threatened by armed conflict, global climate change, exploitative mining and unsustainable forestry and agricultural practices.
Countries Engaged
The Year generated extensive national commitment to sustainable mountain development. Thanks to the efforts of the 78 national committees which led observance of the International Year of Mountains, real change in mountain regions is now a priority in countries around the world. Many countries are in the process of, or are committed to, developing and implementing national strategic plans for the sustainable development of their mountains and participating in regional processes to protect mountain ranges.
In many countries, these national committees established to observe the International Year of Mountains have been the sole multi-disciplinary mechanisms in which mountain issues can be addressed from a board perspective. In 2003, many of these committees have evolved, or are considering evolving, into permanent bodies.
As an important next step, the City of Chambery in close collaboration with FAO, has kindly offered to host a meeting of all interested national committee focal points in mid-May 2003, in order to explore fully the steps required to support country-level action in mountain regions.
Partnerships Strengthened
Through joint activities and information sharing, the Year consolidated and strengthened the partnership for sustainable mountain development that has evolved since the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
A formal alliance of partners, the International Partnership for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions was launched at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa and further consolidated at the Bishkek Global Mountain Summit (October 29 - November 1, 2008, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan), the culminating event of the International Year of Mountains.
The International Partnership is structured to ensure multi-stakeholder and long-term approaches, and is conceived as an evolving alliance with the flexibility to address the complexity, diversity and magnitude of mountain issues. As of February 2003, 30 countries, 15 intergovernmental organizations and 14 major groups have signed on to the partnership.
During WSSD, FAO Director-General Dr. Diouf offered to host a secretariat at FAO to support the International Partnership for Sustainable Development in Mountain Regions. While the role and structure of the secretariat are still to be determined, FAO's 2003 mountain initiative is already taking shape, with support from the governments of Italy and Switzerland.
Research Promoted
The Year enhanced understanding of the need for interdisciplinary research and information sharing about mountains and stimulated the development a comprehensive, global research agenda on mountains that will support decision-making and policy-making.
Specific efforts by FAO during the International Year of Mountains included the following publications:
Towards a GIS-Based Analysis of Mountain Environments and Populations,
Environment and Natural Resources Service (SDRN) (in print)
Household Food Security and Nutrition in Mountain Areas: an Often Forgotten Story, Nutrition Programs Service (ESNP)
Mountains and the Law - Emerging Trends, FAO Legislative Study, Development Law Service
