Introducing the Mountain Futures Action Plan

In December 2022, at a side event at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s 15^th Conference of the Parties (CBD COP15) in Montreal, the Mountain Futures Action Plan was launched as part of the post-2020 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

The plan was jointly proposed by the Kunming Institute of Botany (KIB) at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), World Agroforestry (ICRAF), the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Yunnan FROM OUR EYES Rural Documentary and Culture Research Centre. It’s a product of the global Mountain Futures Initiative, which since its inception in 2016, has been working to promote the well-being of people in the mountains; enhance the diversity, stability, and sustainability of ecosystems; and construct and share green mountain development solutions. In particular, it supports Indigenous mountain populations and offers them sustainable solutions to help maintain the diverse mountain landscapes on which they rely.

Targeting a rural revitalisation of mountain communities, the plan focuses on the principles of precautionary development; holistic thinking; secured rights; co-innovation; and green, low-carbon development. It also defines 15 actions linked to the CBD’s 2021 Kunming Declaration, which specifies the signatories’ commitment to prioritising biodiversity protection and recognising the role of conservation in protecting human health. These 15 actions are divided into four action areas: scientific exploration, ecological restoration, Indigenous wisdom, and future living.

"Mountain ecosystems are central to global change, including global warming,” said Xu Jianchu, who is a principal scientist and regional coordinator at ICRAF, a distinguished professor at KIB, and the Mountain Futures Program Coordinator. “Our Mountain Futures Action Plan combines Indigenous people’s knowledge and ideas with the latest scientific findings to generate positive change.”

Why are mountains important?

Mountain areas play a much more important role in global ecosystem services than many of us realise. They are the world's ‘water towers’ and provide up to 80 percent of Earth’s freshwater resources. More than half of the human population relies on this water to survive, while food and clean energy derived from mountain ecosystems are also critical to many of our planet’s communities. Rich in biodiversity, mountains also provide many other resources and services, such as carbon storage, climate regulation, fibres, medicines, and building materials. Many of the world’s Indigenous peoples call mountains home; Xu has referred to them as “mountain guides”, with valuable expertise on the rich biological diversity of their ecosystems and how we might maintain their services for generations to come.

However, mountains face a myriad of threats from the impacts of climate change, over-exploitation, natural disasters, and land degradation – and preserving them will take all our efforts. “These Indigenous people and local communities alone cannot deal with global environmental changes,” said Xu. “They need help from outside and support from the mainstream public, which is where we come in.”

Whether you see mountains as dark, foreboding, and dangerous, or as a beautiful, picturesque paradise filled with the prospect of adventure, there is no denying their vital role in the future of our planet. Xu and his team continue to pioneer methods that allow mountain communities to maintain their traditional way of life, while preserving, protecting, and harnessing the power these indispensable regions hold.

The Third Mountain Futures Conference will take place from the 16^th-19^th of April 2023 in Kunming, China. For more information, please see the Mountain Futures website.