Why mountains matter for forests and biodiversity: A call por action on the sustainable development (SDGs)

Policy Brief

Mountains cover 25 percent of the world’s land surface, and directly support 12 percent of the world’s population living within mountain regions. Sustainable mountain development should be a global priority given the multitude of ecosystem goods and services that mountains provide; among the most important is water for half of humanity for drinking, irrigation and energy production. This ecosystems services – as well as the mountain peoples – who are at the same time custodians and direct beneficiaries are particulary vulonerable to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters. The degradation of these essential mountains ecosystems services will have a direct impact on downstream region and human well-being.