About the Summit
The Moving Mountains Summit: Collaboratively Redefining the Future of Mountain Environments and Society will leverage the synergistic power of local and Indigenous knowledges, western science, business, policy and advocacy to build and strengthen enduring links among key players in mountains to address mountain sustainability and justice issues in the face of rapid climate change. Participants will include academics, practitioners, educators, students, decisionmakers, community knowledge holders, and Indigenous rights-holders from 18 networks across six continents and over 50 countries.
The meeting will launch an initiative aimed at identifying and implementing pathways to sustainability across mountain systems worldwide. In doing so, we will address four critical knowledge gaps for mountain sustainability: 1) contributions of local and Indigenous knowledge to adaptation and transformation; 2) nature-based solutions for climate change in mountain systems; 3) approaches to strengthen local governance, and build equitable partnerships for sustainable livelihoods and policy, and 4) synthesis across diverse mountain contexts of transformative pathways. Knowledge gaps may be addressed across themes of food security and autonomy; sustainable water and energy; mountain services and products.
Why now?
With 2022 designated by the United Nations as the “Year of Sustainable Mountain Development”, we will explore how to achieve sustainable mountain development that is inclusive and just. The Moving Mountains Summit will immediately precede the Global Mountain Partnership meeting and will deliver a vision and an action plan that is co-produced at the Summit representing local and Indigenous mountain peoples’ perspectives and values and the braiding of local and Indigenous knowledge with western science.
There is a unique convergence of global threats and opportunities affecting mountains: the urgent need for climate solutions now; continuing effects of COVID-19; the designation of 2022 as the “UN Year for Sustainable Mountain Development”; and our recent National Science Foundation award that offers an opportunity to co-produce a mountain sustainability program with our partners worldwide.
It is an ideal time to convene multiple sectors of society across mountains worldwide to set an agenda and actionable/implementable roadmap for the future. The future vision and roadmap will be guided by a commitment to decolonization and efforts rooted in a collaborative science with society approach.
Our Vision
We envision transforming mountain science and sustainable development to be more collaborative, just, impactful, and based on multiple values and knowledge systems. In this spirit, the Moving Mountains Summit will launch activities that showcase, learn, build, engage, and evaluate.
- Showcase - We will share existing innovations and success stories, building off local and Indigenous knowledge/expertise and other approaches. Our Mountain Showcase will highlight research, practice, creative works, and products as the basis to chart actions.
- Learn – We will provide opportunities for in-depth learning and reflection about topics of interest to participants. Topics may include nature-based solutions, carbon management, social innovation and change, Indigenous Evaluation Frameworks, Collective Impact, and diverse knowledge and value systems.
- Build – We will create a shared plan with defined strategies, metrics, and partnerships for the future. The outputs will include a shared vision, goals, and a co-produced initial action plan. We will also form thematic communities of interest and regional learning-action collaboratories.
- Engage – The Summit will include diverse pathways for community-building and engagement, including dynamic discussions and hands-on working groups, time outdoors, and social time with an evening of mountain-inspired music and celebration.
- Evaluate – We will create daily opportunities for individual and group reflections on the Summit process, goals, action plan and ways forward.
Together we can move mountains!
Mountain Sentinels is an international community that fosters global mountain sustainability by serving as a catalyst for innovative solutions and actions, aiming to bring together local and Indigenous knowledge, policy, industry, and transformational science, and elevating diverse voices through authentic partnerships.
Cover image by Ryan Milrad.
