High-Level Panel Session: Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources and Adaptation Policies in Mountainous Regions
UNESCO-IHP is organizing a high-level panel session on Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources and Adaptation Policies in Mountainous Regions. The panel gathers high-level dignitaries: ministers, policy-makers and experts, to share experiences, views and recommendations on coping with climate change impacts on water resources in mountainous areas, and on the development of adaptation strategies and policies.
Occupying 24% of the Earth’s surface, mountains and their adjacent valleys are home to 1.2 billion people. The importance of mountains as a source of freshwater justifies their reputation as ‘water towers’ of the world. They provide numerous and diverse sources of ecosystem services, with water supply one of the most critical. Mountains are among the most sensitive ecosystems to climate change and are being affected at a faster rate than other terrestrial habitats. Climate impacts form an important threat to mountain ecosystem services and the populations depending on them, and have considerable effects on water resources.
Many glaciers are retreating under the influence of rising temperatures, making them key indicators of climate change. There is an urgent need for enhanced monitoring and modelling of climate change impacts in mountain regions, to further develop sustainable adaptation strategies and policies.
To accompany the high-level panel session, IHP is organizing the exhibition “Climate change impacts in major mountainous regions of the world” to be shown during the 37th General Conference. The exhibition will be officially opened on 13 November 2013 and will highlight specific cases of climate change impacts in mountainous regions worldwide.
The event is a contribution to the International Year of Water Cooperation – 2013.
Please confirm your attendance to this event by sending an email to the contact's email address.