Mountain areas occupy 24 per cent of the earth’s land surface
A major gathering of mountain experts ends today after five days of discussion on issues affecting the world’s upland regions.
Almost 500 scientists from 60 countries have been taking part in the Global Change and the World’s Mountains conference in Perth, organised by the global Mountain Research Initiative and Perth College University of the Highlands and Islands Centre for Mountain Studies.
The experts will present their research and aim to formulate a global action plan for the world’s mountain areas.
The meeting has included 42 sessions on social and natural sciences, a public debate on ownership of Scotland’s national parks, and field trips to the Scottish Highlands.
Scottish environment minister Roseanna Cunningham and Professor Rolf Weingartner of the Mountain Research Initiative were joined by the CMS’s Professor Martin Price at the opening event on Sunday.
Mountain areas occupy 24 per cent of the earth’s land surface and are home to 12 per cent of the global population, according to Professor Price. He continued: “Globally, mountain areas are vital for providing us with water for agricultural, industrial, and domestic use.
“They include major centres of biodiversity and cultural diversity, and in an increasingly urbanised world, are key locations for tourism and recreation. However, mountain areas and their people are also particularly vulnerable to climate change.
“Our conference takes account of all these factors and, by bringing together leading scientists and others to look at progress since our last major conference in 2005, we aim to provide a renewed focus for mountain issues and global change.
“This will also start the process of producing an action plan for mountains in the lead-up to the ‘Rio+20’ United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012”.
Professor Price shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize as a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Dr Thomas Moore, principal of Perth College UHI said: “This conference and the quality of those attending and presenting scientific papers demonstrate the world-class research which exists here in Perth. It is truly a centre of global excellence.”
James Fraser, UHI principal added: “I am delighted to be chairing the opening session as the event brings together leading scientists and others working in, and concerned with, mountain areas around the world to discuss, assess and make progress in our understanding of global change in mountain regions.”
The conference is being supported financially by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science and Research, the Scottish Government, Perth & Kinross Council, The British Council, Unesco and its National Commission for the UK, and is sponsored by the Edrington Group.
Conference organisers are encouraging those attending to ‘tweet’ their thoughts on interesting ideas, novel approaches and emerging themes throughout the event using Twitter.
