Mountains: Earth’s Essential Water Towers and Biodiversity Hotspots Need Protection
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📰 The quick summary: Mountains provide essential ecosystem services like clean water for half the global population and host over 85% of bird, mammal, and amphibian species, highlighting their critical role in supporting life on Earth.
📈 One key stat: Mountains host over 85% of bird, mammal and amphibian species despite covering only 25% of Earth’s land area, making them essential biodiversity hotspots.
💬 One key quote: “The mountains are issuing a distress call,” said United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres at a 2023 United Nations climate change conference.
1️⃣ The big picture: Mountains are much more than majestic landscapes – they’re critical ecosystems supporting life across the planet. Covering just a quarter of Earth’s land, mountains host 85% of bird, mammal, and amphibian species and provide fresh water to over half the global population daily. They’re the birthplace of essential food crops like potatoes and quinoa, support local cultures, and attract millions of tourists annually. However, mountains face accelerated threats from climate change, with temperatures rising faster than global averages and glaciers melting at alarming rates, threatening both biodiversity and water security for billions of people.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: Mountains serve as vital biodiversity strongholds where unique species thrive in isolated environments, creating natural laboratories for evolution. They function as the world’s water towers, storing precipitation in glaciers and snowpack that feed rivers supplying fresh water to billions of people worldwide. Mountain ecosystems have given humanity essential food crops including potatoes, barley and apples that feed much of the world’s population. These landscapes inspire rich cultural traditions among communities who call them home while providing recreational opportunities that boost local economies through tourism. Protecting mountains delivers a double benefit for our climate – preserving carbon-storing forests while safeguarding the ecosystems most vulnerable to warming.
3️⃣ What’s next: Governments must designate more protected areas large enough for species to migrate as climate zones shift upward. Tourism companies can adopt sustainable practices that respect mountain ecosystems and local communities. Individuals can help by following Leave No Trace principles when visiting mountains, supporting conservation organizations, and reducing their carbon footprint to slow climate impacts on these vulnerable ecosystems.
Read the full story here: EcoWatch – What Mountains Provide and Why They Need Protection
