UIAA & MOUNTAIN SUSTAINABILITY. AT THE HEART OF MOUNTAIN PROTECTION

Article published for International Mountain Day 2016

The UIAA believes all those who have a stake in the well-being of the mountain environment should collectively work to raise awareness about the fragile nature of mountain ecosystems, as well as to encourage responsible and sustainable behaviour and practices.

The UIAA’s activities focus on:

• Promoting sustainable mountain development and rewarding innovative initiatives in adventure tourism, recreation and mountain conservation.
• Raising awareness about environmental issues and furthering education on conservation and sustainable practices.
• Supporting practical actions taken by our federations that aim to conserve the mountain environment and support mountain people.
• Encouraging the adoption and respect by all of international declarations, including UIAA’s own ethical guidelines, in order to conserve mountain ecosystems and support mountain cultures.
• Liaising with international organisations on access and conservation issues
  and providing assistance, when requested, to member federations on such issues within their own countries.
• Looking ahead, 2017 offers a unique opportunity for the UIAA and its member federations to participate in advocacy for mountain protection and mountaineering as a sport. With 2017 designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, the UIAA values the opportunity to be part of that discussion and agenda for change towards more sustainable mountaineering.

The UIAA’s work in this field is supported by the Mountain Protection and Access commissions and through core projects like the annual Mountain Protection Award and Respect the Mountains series.

UIAA & International Mountain Day. All articles, click here.