Mountains in Motion: Global Linkages from Ridge to River

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dc.contributor.approvalRecordUNEP Publication Board
dc.contributor.authorUnited Nations Environment Programme
dc.contributor.organizationEcosystems Division
dc.contributor.otherFouinat, Laurent
dc.contributor.otherGerasymenko, Nataliia
dc.contributor.otherEikeland, Paige Hellbaum
dc.contributor.otherMartinez-Swatson, Karen
dc.contributor.otherRucevska, Ieva
dc.contributor.otherSchoolmeester, Tina
dc.contributor.otherSinisalo, Anna
dc.contributor.otherSkripnikova, Natalia
dc.contributor.otherSvendsen, Helene
dc.contributor.otherFylakis, Georgios
dc.contributor.otherAbbas, Hasan
dc.contributor.otherBeilstein, Matthias
dc.contributor.otherBigengimana, Yvonne
dc.contributor.otherPisa, Paola Fontanella
dc.contributor.otherJackson, Miriam
dc.contributor.otherMahapatra, Parth Sarathi
dc.contributor.otherQuenta, Estefanía
dc.contributor.otherTaber, Andrew
dc.contributor.otherFellendorf, Ansgar
dc.contributor.otherAyab, Idris Yusuf
dc.contributor.otherAzodi, Mehrnoosh
dc.contributor.otherDaniels, Charlotte
dc.contributor.otherKilponen, Anna
dc.contributor.otherHofman, Maarten
dc.contributor.otherJurek, Matthias
dc.contributor.otherNyirenda, Chawanangwa
dc.contributor.otherSchmoeker, Genevieve
dc.contributor.otherTroni, Jessica
dc.date.accessioned2026-03-17T11:45:44Z
dc.date.issued2026-03
dc.date.submitted2026-03-17
dc.descriptionMountain ecosystems are critical intersections in global systems, linked to planetary health and human well-being far beyond their ridges. They function as water towers, supplying freshwater for downstream agriculture, energy, and urban centres, thereby inextricably linking ecosystem health to food, energy, and economic security. This publication sheds a light on the interconnection of challenges to better understand the cascading effects of a changing climate and environmental conditions. Human driven global warming causes rapid cryosphere decline and accelerates biodiversity loss by forcing some species to move to higher altitudes. Simultaneously, pollution, from long-range atmospheric deposition to local tourism waste, exacerbates ecosystem stress and may accelerate snow and ice melt. Links between the triple planetary crisis in mountain regions and the rest of the planet are identified, moving beyond a siloed analysis. The publication leverages recent data from top-tier peer-reviewed journals, public databases and Rio convention reports, to quantify the “ridge-to-river” cascade of impacts, building a compelling case for action. It provides a decision-making tool for translating science into policy-ready options, responding to future scenario modelling and mountain-specific indicators. Identified solutions recognize the key role of women, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities and youth in shaping sustainable mountain futures. This report is structured to guide the reader from understanding the challenges to identifying solutions. It begins by describing climate change impacts and trends in mountain regions, then analyses present and future challenges for biodiversity, describes the human-made pressures of pollution and land degradation, and examines international environmental governance in specific mountain regions. Throughout the report, mapbased case studies illustrate the linkages between mountain regions and lowlands, supported by data that help to better grasp the challenges and solutions identified.en
dc.description.reviewStatuspeer-reviewed
dc.description.statusAdopted
dc.formatpdf
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.59117/20.500.11822/49344
dc.identifier.isbn978-92-807-4275-6
dc.identifier.otherDEP/2757/NA
dc.identifier.urihttps://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/49344
dc.languageEnglish
dc.page.number48 p.
dc.relation.TableOfContentsIntroduction
dc.relation.TableOfContentsChapter 1: Changing mountain landscapes
dc.relation.TableOfContentsChapter 2: From peaks to aquifers
dc.relation.TableOfContentsChapter 3: Mountains as engines of biodiversity
dc.relation.TableOfContentsChapter 4: From sky to streams
dc.relation.TableOfContentsChapter 5: Land degradation in mountains
dc.relation.TableOfContentsChapter 6: International environmental governance of mountains under the Rio Conventions
dc.relation.TableOfContentsConclusions: Motion for change
dc.relation.TableOfContentsReferences
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 IGOen
dc.rights.accessLevelPublic
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/igo/
dc.subject.sdgSDG 6 - Clean Water and Sanitation
dc.subject.sdgSDG 13 - Climate Action
dc.subject.sdgSDG 15 - Life on Land
dc.subject.themeclimate
dc.subject.themeclimate change
dc.subject.themeclimate change adaptation
dc.subject.themeclimate change impact
dc.subject.themewater
dc.subject.themeriver
dc.subject.themeaquifer
dc.subject.themenatural areas, landscapes and ecosystems
dc.subject.thememountain
dc.subject.themeadministration
dc.subject.themeenvironmental governance
dc.titleMountains in Motion: Global Linkages from Ridge to Riveren
dc.typeTechnical report

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