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mountain rangeLast chance to submit your paper for the Global Mountains Conference at the University of Cambridge, which takes place this summer and aims to bring together conceptions of mountains as both subjects of inquiry and the settings of unique human and beyond-human stories across Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe.

Key themes to be addressed during the conference include the importance of verticality in the history of scientific practice, the reciprocal effects of mountain environments and human cultures, and the roles of mountains as borderlands between states and empires (and thus as spaces that complicate national and regional boundaries). 

lake 999536 640A new HI-AWARE working paper highlights some climate change adaptation options in the Indus region, and emphasizes the need for multi-sectoral involvement in building robust climate change strategies.

Glacier Patagonia Ice Nature Torres Del Pa

Two new studies on glacial lakes in the Patagonian Andes provide observations and further insights on the effects of climate change in the region, from formartion of new glacial lakes to changes in biotic diversity in glacier-fed systems.

The first article, glacial lakes in the Central and Patagonian Andes, is a first large-scale census of glacial lakes in Chile and Argentina, providing a better understanding of lake development in this region and a basis for Glacial Lake Outbust Floods (GLOF) risk assessment. The second article, on biotic diversity in glacier-fed systems, describes how these isolated, small glacier-fed streams - and the systems they support - appear highly vulnerable to global warming. 

january pathwaysHappy New Year! We hope you have had a good start to 2018. 

Here at the MRI Coordination Office we have a busy year ahead, with many developments planned. These will be unveiled over the course of 2018. Watch this space!

Meanwhile, in this January edition of our newsletter we present the latest stories, publications, and opportunities from across the global mountain research network.

Enjoy your read.


COMING UP ON THE MRI'S AGENDA JANUARY-MARCH 2018

January:
8th Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Programme Board Meeting, 31 January - 1 February, WMO Geneva, Switzerland.

February:
Second lead authors meeting (LAM2) and public outreach events for the IPCC Special Report on Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC), 12-16 February, Quito, Ecuador.

March:
Second meeting of the MRI Principal Investigators and MRI Strategy Meeting, 6 March, Bern, Switzerland.
Management Committee and Executive Board meeting of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA), 23-25 March, Kathmandu, Nepal.
   
snow 1912206 640SMALLA very happy holiday season from all of us here at the MRI Coordination Office.

We are delighted to report that we conclude 2017 with a bang! Earlier this month, the MRI was a participant at the Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership in Rome where, following a dynamic period of advocacy and endorsement, we were elected to the Mountain Partnership Steering Committee. This is a real opportunity for the MRI to help galvanize Mountain Partnership members globally, and we very much look forward to a productive and successful collaboration.

From Rome to Kathmandu, where Carolina joined over 200 researchers and experts from all over the world to take part in a conference on ‘Resilient Hindu Kush Himalaya.’ The goal of this event was to identify, discuss, and jointly recommend possible resilient solution packages suitable for mountain areas, starting with the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, and some very interesting conversations were had. Lastly, December was also an important month for the MRI internally in terms of shaping our strategic direction and setting key priorities, thanks to a very fruitful Science Leadership Council meeting. You can find out more about all of these events in this December 2017 newsletter.

The end of the year is also a chance for reflection. As the MRI looks back on a 2017 filled with exciting progress and development, we believe we are also able look to the future with renewed momentum and confidence. 

Wishing you all the very best for 2018, 

Carolina, Grace, Reto, and Christoph.

IMC LogoThe International Mountain Conference 2019 (IMC 2019) will focus particularly on the responses of mountains to climate change, and their resilience as social-ecological systems.

If you would like to contribute to this with regards to your research, get cross-disciplinary insights, and support synthesis activities, please take a look at the IMC 2019 website and register for the conference information mailing list.

The IMC 2019 will take place 8-12 September 2019 in Innsbruck, Austria.


Water DropletThe international peer-reviewed and open-access journal Water has issued a call for submissions for a special issue on 'Water Stewardship in Mining Regions.'

Water is one of the most significant issues facing the global mining sector. Communities are increasingly concerned about the water-related impacts of mining projects. Governments are under growing pressure to strengthen regulation of the sector and to evaluate complex trade-offs about water allocation between competing users. This special issue of the journal Water will address challenges and find solutions in order to achieve responsible and equitable water stewardship in mining regions.


SLC Group SMALLFollowing a year of exciting developments for the MRI, its Science Leadership Council came together in Rome 8-9 December to evaluate progress, review objectives, and set new priorities for 2018 and beyond.

In her opening words, MRI Executive Director Dr. Carolina Adler welcomed the Science Leadership Council (SLC) and expressed her delight at the opportunity for face-to-face collaboration between such a (usually) geographically dispersed group: “I’m very pleased to be a part of this fantastic global group of mountain researchers, and I look forward to working closely with all of you in future.”

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