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Upcoming Events

WMO High Mountain Summit

29/10/2019 31/10/2019

Conferences 2019

External Event URL

Event location

WMO Headquarters
7bis, avenue de la Paix
Geneva, CH-1211

Developing a roadmap to science-based, user-driven knowledge and information systems supporting sustainable development and risk reduction in mountain and downstream regions.

Rising global temperatures are causing unprecedented changes to the environments of high mountain regions. The mountain cryosphere (glaciers, snow, and permafrost) and high-altitude mountain ecosystems provide and regulate freshwater resources for around half of the world’s population. The on-going changes in the distribution of precipitation and in the mountain cryosphere affect the sustainability of these ecosystems. This, in turn, increases the risk of natural hazards, with cascading and often devastating effects for populations and economies in mountain regions and downstream. Often, these threats exacerbate existing vulnerabilities of social-ecological systems, stemming from poverty, inadequate infrastructure, deficiencies in governance, environmental degradation, and leading to food and water insecurity, health depravation, destruction of communities, displacement of people, and migration.

Scientifically sound climate and hydro-meteorological data, prediction, information, and services, such as multi-hazard early warning systems, are key to strengthening local, national, and regional climate resilience and adaptation capabilities of regions affected, directly or indirectly, by changes in high mountain regions. These provide necessary tools to monitor
and report on specific indicators for informing policy and decision-making, ensuring optimal allocation and use of resources around water security and risk management at national, local, and community level.

Mountain weather, water, and climate: pathways to a sustainable global future. 

In collaboration with international partners, including the Mountain Research Initiative, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) seeks to address these challenges, leveraging the critical role of existing coordination mechanisms, and enabling action to enhance the quality, quantity, and application of hydro-meteorological and climate services for disaster risk reduction and related impacts such as water resource management, food security, and health.

The High Mountain Summit will foster high-level dialogue and engage decision-makers and local actors providing and using hydro-meteorological and climate services to develop a roadmap to science-based, relevant, and reliable user-driven knowledge and information systems supporting sustainable development and risk reduction in mountain and downstream regions.

The Summit aims to identify priority actions and address the effects of climate changes observed in the high mountain cryosphere, and their impacts on downstream ecosystems, communities, and water resources. 

The long-term goal is to ensure that people that live in mountains, and those that are influenced by mountain Earth system processes downstream, have access to fit-for-purpose hydrological, meteorological, and climate information that reflects the importance of mountain regions as a home of the cryosphere, and as a source of global freshwater and ecosystem services for the world.

A limited number of high relevance projects based on existing initiatives will also be identified to be pursued as part of the roadmap, with support from engaged participants.

The Summit will take into account the needs of WMO Members regarding the monitoring and reporting on targets within the Sendai FrameworkParis Agreement, the 2030 Agenda, and the Sustainable Development Goals. In the broader context, it will contribute to the Framework for Action for Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Mountains (2017) approved by Mountain Partnership members, and the International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development (2018–2028).

Full programme details can be found on the WMO High Mountain Summit website. 

 

Outcomes

Summit Co-Chairs

Carolina Adler, Mountain Research Initiative Executive Director
John Pomeroy, Canada Research Chair in Water Resources & Climate Change, Director, Centre for Hydrology, Director, Global Water Futures Initiative

This event is co-organized by the Mountain Research Initiative. 

Find out more on the WMO High Mountain Summit website. 


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