Ecosystem-based adaptation measures could help countries build the resilience of both mountain communities as well as those living downstream, a series of Mountain Climate Change Adaptation Outlook reports has concluded.

The reports, launched at COP21 on 11 December - International Mountain Day – follow a series of regional workshops and cover the Western Balkans, Southern Caucasus, Tropical Andes, Central Asia and East Africa.

Among the key findings are that climate change is already having a significant impact on mountainous regions, with farmers in the Tropical Andes having to move their potatoes 150 metres higher over the past 30 years to escape rising temperatures for example.

Meanwhile, ecosystems in the Tien Shan mountains in Central Asia are key to accumulating water during the vegetation season, but melting glaciers due to climate change are among factors threatening this, the reports find, while also proposing policy solutions.

Ministers and mountain leaders from Austria, Bhutan, Czech Republic, Peru, Switzerland, Uganda and others attended the event. There, they committed to try and ensure mountains and climate change adaptation become a priority issue at inter-regional, regional and national levels.

The leaders also committed to make better use of existing technical assistance mechanisms such as the Climate Technology Centre & Network and financial ones such as the Green Climate Fund and to support greater knowledge-sharing.

The launch took place at a roundtable hosted by the Government of Peru and was co-organised by UNEP, GRID-Arendal and other partners.

To read the outlooks for the five regions click here. For more information please contact matthias.jurek@unvienna.org