Side Event at Rio+20 // Mountain Knowledge Solutions for Sustainable Green Economy and Improved Water, Food, Energy, and Environment Nexus
This side event aims to contribute to the "The Future We Want" outcome document by highlighting the need to better manage mountain natural resources as global public goods supplying water for life, food for health, and clean energy for livelihoods.
Time & Place
18 June 2012, 9.30-11am, Rio Centro, P-3AAbout the Event
Enhancing food, water, and energy security will require an appropriate institutional framework and the development and transfer of research-based knowledge that can influence policies. Technical know-how is also the foundation for building infrastructure that can enhance water, food, and energy supply. Incentives to private, public, and civil society sectors are needed to accelerate the production and distribution of knowledge-based solutions for reducing environmental risks and natural resource scarcities. ICIMOD and its partners are working together to develop knowledge solutions and technical expertise on the water, food, energy, and environment nexus.Role of Mountains
Mountains have a special role in the water, food, energy, and environment nexus. More than half of humanity relies on water from mountains. Glaciers, ice fields, and snowpack store an immense amount of fresh water and gradually release it to meet year-round needs for irrigation, drinking, sanitation, industrial processing, clean energy, and food production. Mountains are sources of rich biodiversity providing numerous foods and medicinal products. These services are vital for human wellbeing, both in the mountains and downstream, and especially for improving the lives of indigenous, marginalized, and poor people. Yet they are under threat from rapid changes such as globalization and climate change. Applicable, accessible, and affordable knowledge is needed to help mountain people and ecosystems to adapt and to create sustainable societies.