Mountains of Risk
- Date & Time: Thursday 12 May (14:45 - 16:30)
- Room: A-CCV
- Participation: Open
- Organizer: Organized in cooperation with the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Swiss Confederation
Description
The cultural heritage and traditions of mountain communities have, for centuries, contributed to resilience in the face of earthquakes, landslides and avalanches. Now, climate change is presenting new and particular challenges in these vital regions as well as for their downstream neighbors. Glacial retreat radically transforms local hydrological systems in many communities that rely on glacial waters for agriculture and basic needs. Changes to the hydrological cycle, persistent changes to land cover, and forest degradation can amplify seismic risk by triggering landslides. This interaction of hazard risks is a shared feature in mountain systems. The roundtable will discuss the disaster risks in mountain systems and identify opportunities for cooperation and shared learning between mountain states. It will reinforce the unique contribution of mountain cultures to the practice of disaster risk reduction and resilience.
Chair/Moderator/Faciliator
Mr. Andreas Schild, Director General, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Nepal (CHAIR)
Speakers
Mr. Minjur Dorji, Honorable Minister of Home and Cultural Affairs, Bhutan
Ms. María del Pilar Cornejo, Minister, National Secretariat for Risk Management, Ecuador
Mr. Vicente Nuñez, National Emergency Office, Chile
Mr. Thomas Probst Scientific Advisor,Federal Office for the Environment, Switzerland
Presentations
> Adaptation to Climate Change in Alpine Regions [9.60 Mb]
> 20 years of Sustainable Mountain Development efforts [374.87 Kb]
> Bhutan in the Wake of Climate Change and Disasters [4.14 Mb]
Report