• fr
  • en

Climate change in the mountains: key messages from the latest IPCC report

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has published the Synthesis Report of the IPCC 6th Assessment Report. It summarises the state of knowledge on climate change, its widespread impacts and risks, and on mitigation and adaptation. Here are the key takeaways regarding mountain areas.

The first key message of the new IPCC report is that the extent and magnitude of climate change impacts are greater than estimated in previous assessments. In this regard, the IPCC notes that some impacts of climate change are already almost irreversible, such as the effects of hydrological changes due to glacier retreat or changes in some mountain ecosystems.

The report also stresses that short-term impacts in mountain areas are inevitable. Given current policies to reduce greenhouse gases, it is likely that global warming will exceed 1.5°C during the 21st century and that it will be difficult to keep it below 2°C. The main hazards and associated risks expected in the near term with global warming of 1.5°C are cryosphere-related changes affecting floods, landslides, and water availability, with serious consequences for people, infrastructure and economies in most mountain regions.

With an additional 1.5°C, the IPCC also predicts increased forest fires, massive tree mortality, drying of peatlands, thawing of permafrost and weakening of natural terrestrial carbon sinks. These impacts also have a snowball effect, as these events can increase the release of greenhouse gas emissions stored, for example, in forests and peatlands, which would make temperature inversions more difficult.

The IPCC report therefore once more demonstrates the urgency of mitigating climate change in order to avoid more severe impacts on local mountain ecosystems and populations (impacts that go beyond their borders given the ecosystem services provided by mountains, in particular water supply).

The report also points to the need to introduce adaptation measures in areas already severely affected by climate change. However, the IPCC report stresses that the limits of soft and hard adaptation have already been reached in some sectors and regions, particularly in mountain areas. The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report, Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, found that most of the adaptation measures taken in the mountains were mainly related to agriculture and tourism, and little to other sectors. The report, which included an entire cross-chapter on the mountains led by Carolina Adler (MRI researcher, member of NEMOR), highlights that among all the reported adaptation actions, 91% involve individuals or households, frequently engaged in smallholder agriculture and/or pastoralism. Local governments are involved in 31% of the cases and sub-national or local civil society actors in 29% of the reported actions, while only 10% involve the private sector.

Share
30 March 2023

Euromontana sur Facebook

4 hours ago

Euromontana
We were today at the European Committee of the Regions too meet with regional policymakers from the Carpathians ⛰🤝 Thank you to Witold Kozłowski from the Małopolska region - also a new member of our Board of Directors - for our discussions!𝗪𝘀𝗽𝗼́𝗹𝗻𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗠𝗮ł𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝘀𝗸𝗶 𝗶 𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗰𝗶 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗻𝗮 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗿. 👍Obecność wicemarszałka Witold Kozłowski w Brukseli podczas 163. Sesji Plenarnej Europejskiego Komitetu Regionów dała okazję do spotkania z dyrektorem Europejskiego Stowarzyszenia Obszarów Górskich Euromontana Guillaume Corradino. | Więcej 👇 ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

1 day ago

Euromontana
One month since the #mountainconvention2024 in Puigcerdà! 🏔️ What future for #mountaineconomies? Find all the key insights in the event report! 📝🙏 Thank you to all stakeholders who shared their ideas, projects and recommendations for a brighter future in the mountains!Report 🔗 www.euromontana.org/outcomes ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

3 days ago

Euromontana
Explore the new guide on ‘rural proofing for the evaluation of the rural perspective in laws, policies, plans and strategies’: bit.ly/3O995FiPublished by the Red Española de Desarrollo Rural (REDR), it intends to support authorities in incorporating a rural angle when designing, implementing, and reviewing policies and regulations.Find more information here: bit.ly/4ev41FK #RuralPact #RuralVisionEUELARD aisbl EESC - European Economic and Social Committee European Rural Development Network ODRAZ-Održivi razvoj zajednice Prepare AISBL Luonnonvarakeskus Smeunited Euromontana Diesis Network Wallonie.be ECOLISE EU CAP Network Netzwerk Zukunftsraum Land Vlaams Ruraal Netwerk Réseau wallon PAC Ruralni razvoj RH Ministerstvo zemědělství Netwerk Platteland / Netherlands Rural Network Maaeluvõrgustik Maaseutu - Tilaa elämälle Réseau national Agricultures et Ruralités 2023 - 2027 Deutsche Vernetzungsstelle Ländliche Räume Εθνικό Αγροτικό Δίκτυο - Greek National Rural Network Magyar Nemzeti Vidéki Hálózat CAP Network Ireland Rete Rurale Nazionale Lauku tīkls Ministère de l'Agriculture, de l'Alimentation et de la Viticulture Fondi.eu Krajowa Sieć Obszarów Wiejskich+ Rede Rural Nacional Rețeaua Rurală Națională - RRN Mreža za podeželje ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

2 weeks ago

Euromontana
Today, members of the Rural Pact Coordination Group (RPCG) meet online to discuss: • The forthcoming RPCG Declaration on the future of EU rural policy, which addresses the open questions in the @European Commission’s ‘key achievements and ways forward’ report;• RPCG members’ position papers on the future of Europe’s rural areas;• RPCG members’ role in the Rural Pact Conference of April 2025;• Members’ actions to date & the Rural Pact Support Office 2025 work programme.More information at: bit.ly/4fwtjnS#RuralPact #RuralVisionEU ... See MoreSee Less
View on Facebook

Euromontana sur Twitter