Ahead of the Curve: GRID-Arendal Annual Report 2016

Polar and Mountains Rapid change and vulnerable regions

Our work in mountains communicates accurate and timely information on environmental and climate issues to the attention of national governments, local communities and the international research community.

Ushguli village with Shkhara mountain in the background, Georgia. Photo: iStock/roibu

introduced a few years ago has led to significant regional and international media coverage. It has also triggered a change within our partner organisation, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), which is now using our training model on other projects.

In the Arctic, we work closely with Indigenous Peoples to help them tell their stories about how they are coping with environmental change, and how their knowledge contributes to adaptation. We work with Indigenous herders on conservation of pasture ecosystems as a way to enhance the resilience of pastoral livelihoods. And we assist UN Environment on polar and mountain issues. Putting mountains on the map Mountains play a crucial role in providing water for up to half the world’s population and they are changing fast as a result of climate change. They are also often the scene of natural disasters like earthquakes and floods. Like the Arctic, they straddle national borders and thus create opportunities for international cooperation and peace-building. Our longest running project in mountain regions, the Himalayan Climate Change Adaptation Programme (HICAP), has had an impact and is generating change. For example, a training programme for journalists we

A series of videos produced by GRID-Arendal communicates the innovative, local level approaches undertaken by HICAP.

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