January 2014: As part of its efforts to contribute to the post-2015 development agenda process, the Mountain Partnership has released a series of policy briefs on energy, forests and biodiversity, and climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR).
The policy brief titled ‘Why Mountains Matter for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction’ introduces the challenges facing mountain regions relating to vulnerability to natural hazards, high levels of poverty, and threats to water resources from climate change. The brief proposes targets to build resilience and reduce affected populations and loses from disasters in mountain regions by 50%. It calls for increased awareness of climate change threats in mountain regions and support for improved policy and frameworks for DRR.
The brief titled ‘Why Mountains Matter for Forests and Biodiversity ‘ recognizes the role of mountains as centers of agro-biodiversity, and their importance for providing ecosystem goods and services. It describes these goods and services, including clean water, protection against natural hazards, as well as high biodiversity, and recreational and spiritual values. The brief calls for targets related to enhancing ecosystem services of at least 15% of degraded ecosystems, as well as the conservation of 17% of terrestrial areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services and the reduction of loss of mountain biodiversity.
The brief titled ‘Why Mountains Matter for Energy’ underscores the role of sustainable hydropower, biomass, wind, solar and geothermal energy. It calls for mountain targets that: integrate sustainable development into country policies and programmes; increase sustainable energy in the energy mix; double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency in buildings, industry, agriculture and transport; and take joint action to improve access for mountain communities to reliable energy.
A fourth brief covers mountain issues in general, linking them to various topics discussed by the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). [Publication: Why Mountains Matter for Energy] [Publication: Why Mountains Matter for Forests and Biodiversity] [Publication: Why Mountains Matter for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction] Publication: Mountains and the Sustainable Development Goals – a call for action] [IISD RS Story on Side Event to the Seventh Session of the UNGA Open Working Group on SDGs]