Events
Restoring mountain ecosystems is the theme of this year’s International Mountain Day on 11 December. This theme was selected to fully include mountains in the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021–2030, co-led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN and the UN Environment Programme. The Decade is an opportunity to draw together political support, scientific research and financial resources to significantly scale-up restoration and prevent further degradation of mountain ecosystems.
Dealing with remoteness, a rugged environment, exposed to natural hazards and a fast-changing climate, mountain areas have always been challenged to keep dynamic in sustaining their livelihoods and surrounding environment. Continuously, unique solutions are being developed and implemented, proving that demanding living conditions can be turned into engines of innovation. But how about sharing and exchanging practical experiences to unleash the full potential of sustainable pathways?
The Mountain Innovation Fair is planned to offer a buzzing, interactive and collaborative workspace to exchange on challenges and successes of innovative approaches, with lively discussions and practical demonstrations. Out-of-the box thinking, novel approaches and facilitating wider access to innovations are at the core of the Fair. Meet your peers, learn about and co-create mountain innovations with a potential for replication in various regions and contexts.
FAO is hosting the first-ever Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation from 25 to 27 September 2023 at its headquarters in Rome, Italy. This conference will bring together representatives from various sectors to discuss ways to produce healthier and more sustainable animal-based foods while minimizing the environmental impact. The aim is to create robust and resilient local livestock systems that contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The event will focus on the following themes:
- Improve livestock production systems, including feed and genetics management, animal health and digitalization.
- Highlight the importance of animal source food for better nutrition and healthy diets.
- Explore livestock solutions that contribute to a healthier environment by using natural resources efficiently and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Support small-scale livestock producers by providing inclusive services and policies to enhance their livelihoods and productivity.
The Organic Food Conference 2023 is set to take place on 22-23 May in Sansepolcro, Italy. This year’s event promises to be an exciting one, bringing together organic food processors, retailers, traders, importers, and control bodies from across the globe. The OFC2023 events are organised by IFOAM Organics Europe in partnership with Aboca & BEING Organic in the EU project.
The first day’s programme will feature a welcome ceremony, an intriguing panel discussion, and a visit to the Aboca Museum, among other exciting activities. On the second day, BEING Organic in EU will host technical and panel discussions, as well as a networking lunch for participants to exchange ideas and build connections.
Entrance to the Organic Food Conference 2023 is free of charge, and interested individuals can register through the website to join other organic experts at the event. Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to learn more about the organic food industry and connect with like-minded individuals!
International Conference on Mountain Ecosystems
March 22, 2023
Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
Mountains represent unique areas for detecting climate change and assessing climate change impacts. There is an increasing awareness on climate change impacts the mountains, mountain ecosystems, species and mountain people. The extreme colder environments of mountains possess several climatic factors that generate stress for life, such as low temperature, high exposure to radiation, low nutrient and water availability, desiccation, etc. These biotic and abiotic factors influence both structural and functional characteristics in the biological communities (animals, plants and microbes).
The mountain ecosystems and the mountain communities have received attention during international debates such as the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015, the Paris Agreement 2015 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Targets 2030. Importance of resilience and adaptations acquired by the mountain biodiversity to cope up in harsh climatic conditions has been realized in these forums.
In this International Conference, the efforts will be on bringing together the distinguished groups of researchers who have been working on various aspects of mountain biodiversity across disciplinary and geographical boundaries. The conference will focus on the presentations on biodiversity (animals, plants and microbes) with particular reference to their coping mechanisms in low temperature environment of mountain ecosystems in general, with a focus on the Himalaya and Antarctica in particular.
The conference will feature a variety of mountain actors, including mountaineers, scientists, sustainable development experts, tourism operators, volunteers, and sports enthusiasts. It will offer a moment of shared reflection to highlight the invisible thread that spurs everyone to admire the panorama of a summit, which can be reached along the many possible paths that have the principles of sharing, dialogue, solidarity and care.
The Sustainable Mountain Development Conference will held in Kathmandu, Nepal on 1-3 December 2022. The conference will be held in-person on the first two days and online on the third day.
Forum Origin, Diversity and territories – ODT Forum 2022
October 19, 2022
Saignelégier in Swiss Jura, Switzerland
The ODT Forum 2022 will revolve around the theme: “What are the strategies for the sustainability of localised agri-food systems in the face of the climate crisis?”. It aims to open up arenas for debate on the issue of global ecosystem health, policy solutions for sustainable transition at different territorial scales and the future roles of food systems.
The ODT Forum community will underline in 2022 the importance of mountain territories by focusing its attention mainly, but not exclusively, on mountain territories and their agri-food chains, also due to the involvement of its partners (academics, politicians, researchers and local actors) in the European project MOVING H2020.
The “International Mountain Conference” will open this year’s ODT Forum, with ten field visits in the morning and debates in the afternoon with local stakeholders, scientists, the Tête de Moine PDO sector and the Swiss and Jura authorities. The objective of this international mountain conference is to give the floor to personalities from all continents to bring a global perspective to the functioning of localised agri-food systems and the innovative approaches developed by mountain communities in the face of the climate crisis.
The following two days of the ODT Forum will address the theme in 5 workshops with complementary angles:
- Identify impacts of differentiation strategies on the sustainability and resilience of territories to climate change.
- Research on mountain territories, particularly affected by climate change.
- Bring together researchers, experts and practitioners on the theme of “OneHealth” global health of ecosystems, animals and human populations and strategies to restore or improve it.
- Take stock of the resilience strategies of territories focused on the search for food sovereignty, sometimes to achieve food autonomy.
- Reflect on the role of public policies in the agro-ecological transition of territories in the global context, focusing on soil in climate policy and the need to better connect agricultural policy, including quality signs with rural development policy.
Registration and call for contributions, here.
See flyer of the Forum, here.
It is a unique opportunity to get in touch with academics, experts, researchers, international organisations, local actors, and promoters of innovative initiatives. Participants will discover the landscapes and sounds of the Swiss and French Jura mountains, and meet and dialogue with members of rural communities on site.
The Government of Ireland will host the 13th OECD Rural Development Conference 2022 on the theme of Building Sustainable, Resilient and Thriving Rural Places.
The programme will contain sessions with Ministers and Senior Officials from OECD countries on a range of issues including rural economy and services, connectivity, climate action, innovation, and social cohesion. There will also be a special focus on the youth and women. The event will include cultural and rural development activities on Friday 30 September, departing from the Conference venue. Details of this programme will be made available shortly.
Every four years, the Mountain Partnership — a United Nations voluntary alliance of partners dedicated to mountain peoples and environments — holds a Global Meeting of its members, who come from diverse mountain countries across the world.
The upcoming sixth Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership will be held in Aspen, Colorado, United States of America on 26-29 September 2022, co-hosted by the Mountain Partnership together with the State of Colorado, the City of Aspen, and the Aspen International Mountain Foundation.
Mountain Biodiversity 2002-2022: achievements and next challenges at global and regional level
September 16, 2022
Online
The Alpine and Carpathian Conventions and the Mountain Partnership are launching the event “Mountain Biodiversity 2002-2022: achievements and next challenges at global and regional level”, to be organised within the frame of the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development 2022. It will take place online on 16 September 2022.
The purpose of this event is to contribute in implementing the UN resolution “International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development, 2022” (document A/76/L.28) raising awareness of the importance of the protection of mountain ecosystem, providing an overview of the main achievements of the past years at global and regional level, and to discuss the way forward and the main challenges related to the protection of mountain biodiversity.
Information regarding an agenda and a registration for the event will follow in due course.
Alpine Landscapes in Transition: Infrastructure, Culture, and Climate
May 12, 2022
ETH Zürich Institute of Landscape and Urban Studies, Switzerland
Climate change, energy transition, urbanisation, and industrialisation have and will have tremendous effects on the Alpine landscape. Located at the crossroads of Europe, the transformations of this fragile environment need to be questioned. The symposium brings young researchers together with experts from practice, research, and the arts in a broad discussion about the past, present, and future of this unique landscape.
The event consists of two main parts: several workshops focussing on research, and an afternoon of round-table discussions.
Webinar on the recent UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th Assessment Reports
April 13, 2022
Online and TERI SAS Campus (Vasant Kunj, New Delhi)
The webinar aims to provide information about the latest IPCC Reports directly from the lead authors.
On 13 April, TERI SAS, SDC India, Helvetas, Mountain Research Institute (MRI), ICIMOD and the University of Zurich, organise an interactive workshop to share expert insights on the findings of the recent IPCC 6th Assessment Reports, learn about the IPCC process, and engage in dynamic conversations on adaptation actions with the lead authors.
Registration is open until 7 April 2022.
Climate change and forced migration in mountain areas: What are the solutions?
December 10, 2021
Online
This webinar will discuss migration and internal displacement due to climate change in mountain areas and explore a variety of solutions that increase mountain communities’ resilience and capacity to adapt by addressing some of the root causes of climate migration. The event aims to:
- Increase awareness of how climate change is impacting mobility in mountain regions and knowledge on the importance of enhancing community resilience and promoting climate change adaptation in mountain regions.
- Identify opportunities and share good practices of parliamentarians to play a more active role in the alignment and harmonization of national policies to address migration in the context of climate change, disasters and mobility.
- Launch the Adaptation at Altitude Solutions Portal, a collection of climate adaptation solutions and projects implemented around the world.
This webinar is organized with Adaptation at Altitude, a programme which strives to increase the resilience and adaptive capacity of mountain communities and ecosystems to climate change. The programme is funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by the University of Geneva, the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and Zoï Environment Network, in partnership with the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
In an effort to improve the protection of mountainous ecosystems and the livelihoods of mountain communities, UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) is relaunching its World Network of Mountain Biosphere Reserves. The World Network of Mountain Biosphere Reserves aims to involve all actors working in mountain biosphere reserves, including biosphere reserve managers/coordinators, mountain specialists, universities, research centres, local communities, UN agencies and programmes, associations, and NGO’s.
The launch event will be followed by a webinar on Sustainable Tourism in Mountain Biosphere Reserves, which will present several cases around the world.
The GEO Mountains General Meeting on 30 November 2021 will serve as a platform for exchange, bringing participants up to speed on recent developments at GEO Mountains and inviting discussion on the activities of Task Groups. GEO Mountains participants will also provide key updates on ongoing projects that could contribute to the objectives of GEO Mountains.
This virtual event will be held on Zoom from 14:00-16:00 CET on 30 November 2021. The meeting will provide an opportunity for the initiative co-leads and scientific officer to share recent activities and future plans with the community, as well as discuss possibilities for collaboration and engagement.
Virtual fishbowl dialogue on progress in mountain resilience research and design
November 11, 2021
Online
Join the MRI’s Mountain Resilience Working Group for the first in a series of “Virtual fishbowl dialogues on progress in mountain resilience research and design” on 11 November from 21:00-22:00 CET. This video exchange format seeks to animate the debate around timely topics in the field of mountain resilience, and is also open also to people outside the Working Group.
More information will be available soon.
The conference will bring together researchers to address the issues of reforestation, monitoring and remote sensing of forests, explore and discuss opportunities and challenges related to forest ecosystems in the conditions of climate change. Participants will focus on new research-based solutions, good practices, processing of remote sensing data and analysis techniques, advances in mitigation and adaptation activities in global environmental initiatives.
Organised within the UN Food Systems Pre-Summit, the session will focus on:
- the role of mountain ecosystems and how to restore them for improving food availability to mountain populations;
- how to recognize and promote indigenous and traditional knowledge as well as the role of women and youth in mountains;
- how to make mountain value chains fair, equitable and sustainable, through targeted policies, governance, partnerships as well as innovation and technology; and
- how to strengthen the role of the Mountain Partnership as a multistakeholder coalition of governments, civil society, international organizations and private sector that contributes to provide solutions in mountain areas.