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| Mountain Partnership | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mountain Partnership |
| Formation | 2002 |
| Type | International organization |
| Headquarters | Rome, Italy |
| Parent organization | Food and Agriculture Organization |
Mountain Partnership is an international initiative coordinated by the Food and Agriculture Organization that promotes the sustainable development and protection of mountain territories and communities worldwide. The Partnership brings together states, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, indigenous peoples’ organizations and other major groups to address issues affecting mountain ecosystems, livelihoods and cultural heritage across ranges such as the Himalayas, Andes, Alps, Rocky Mountains and Great Rift Valley. It operates through multilateral fora, technical cooperation, and advocacy linked to global policy instruments like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity.
The Partnership functions as a voluntary, action-oriented coalition modeled on multistakeholder platforms such as the Global Environment Facility, Convention to Combat Desertification, and the United Nations Forum on Forests. It emphasizes cross-scale coordination among actors including national ministries, regional commissions like the Economic Commission for Europe, research institutions such as the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development and civil society networks like the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Its scope spans physical ranges including the Tian Shan, Carpathian Mountains, Scandes, Atlas Mountains and Caucasus as well as thematic intersections with instruments like the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement.
The Partnership was launched in the early 21st century following dialogues held at summits such as the World Summit on Sustainable Development and outcomes from the Convention on Biological Diversity meetings. Initial membership included states with high mountain coverage such as Nepal, Peru, Switzerland, Ecuador and Kenya and organizations like the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development and the World Bank. Over successive biennial meetings—akin to assemblies hosted by bodies such as the United Nations General Assembly and the Food and Agriculture Organization Conference—the Partnership expanded its agenda to incorporate climate resilience priorities reflected in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports and targets from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Primary objectives align with agendas advanced by the United Nations system: conserving mountain biodiversity referenced in the Convention on Biological Diversity, sustaining mountain water sources linked to the Ramsar Convention, and supporting livelihood security exemplified by initiatives of the International Fund for Agricultural Development. Priorities include climate adaptation strategies informed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, disaster risk reduction measures compatible with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and safeguarding indigenous knowledge systems associated with organizations such as the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Membership comprises a diverse roster of states, including India, Argentina, Austria, Bolivia and Uganda; intergovernmental organizations like the United Nations Environment Programme and United Nations Development Programme; and non-state actors such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Mountain Wilderness, and indigenous bodies like the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs. Governance is coordinated through a secretariat hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, with policy steering provided by a facilitation unit and periodic global meetings comparable to ministerial conferences hosted by entities such as the European Commission or regional development banks like the Asian Development Bank.
Programmatic work includes projects on sustainable watershed management implemented with partners such as the World Wildlife Fund, glacier monitoring initiatives aligned with the Global Climate Observing System, and community-based livelihood projects in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development and United Nations Development Programme. Capacity-building activities draw on technical expertise from research centres like the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, while advocacy campaigns engage global days and observances championed by the United Nations General Assembly and thematic panels at forums such as the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Funding and partnerships combine contributions from multilateral financiers such as the World Bank, bilateral donors including Sweden and Japan, philanthropic foundations like the Rockefeller Foundation, and in-kind support from academic institutions such as ETH Zurich and Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Collaborative arrangements involve conservation NGOs including Conservation International and community federations represented by indigenous networks like the Global Alliance of Indigenous Peoples and regional bodies such as the African Union for continental coordination.
Impacts reported include strengthened cross-border cooperation in ranges like the Hindu Kush Himalaya and the Andes, enhanced monitoring of cryospheric change contributing to assessments by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and uptake of sustainable land management practices promoted through pilots supported by the Global Environment Facility. Challenges persist: resource constraints similar to those faced by the Green Climate Fund proposals, uneven political commitment among member states comparable to obstacles in multilateral environmental agreements, and complexities in reconciling traditional indigenous rights as addressed in instruments such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Ongoing priorities therefore emphasize scaling finance, mainstreaming mountain concerns into national strategies like Nationally Determined Contributions, and strengthening science–policy interfaces exemplified by partnerships with the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.
Category:International environmental organizations