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 organized within the frame of the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development 2022. It will now take place online on 16 September 2022. Information regarding an agenda and a registration for the event will follow in due course.

In 2002 the United Nations General Assembly called on governments, national and international organizations, non-governmental organizations and the private sector to make voluntary contributions, in accordance with the Economic and Social Councils; guidelines for international years and anniversaries, and to lend other forms of support to the Year.

After 20 years, the United Nations General Assembly has designated 2022 as the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development. Throughout the year, governments, international organizations and stakeholders are invited to raise awareness of the importance of conservation and sustainable use of mountain ecosystems.

In the past twenty years several important milestones have been achieved, and new challenges and threats for the mountain ecosystems emerged due to climatic and anthropic pressures, which require the knowledge of the mountain biodiversity and an harmonized monitoring system, in order to adopt effective and science-based sets of adaptation and mitigation measures, to strengthen climate-resilient sustainable mountain development.

The Alpine and Carpathian Conventions and the Mountain Partnership have been played an essential role in increasing public awareness and in the achievement of the protection and sustainable mountain development, supporting transboundary governance, promoting cooperation and the establishment of knowledge networks across mountain regions.

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.