AIMF Hosts Sixth Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership
Colorado Governor Jared Polis welcomes the Mountain Partnership delegates on the first day of the Global Meeting.
Mountains cover about 27 percent of the Earth’s land area and provide ecosystem services, such as stabilizing slopes, regulating the climate and hydrological cycles, and supporting livelihoods, to billions of people. They host about half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots and 30 percent of all key biodiversity areas, as well as vital genetic resources for locally adapted crops and livestock. Mountain destinations attract about 15-20 percent of global tourism, which can play a key role in valuing and protecting the natural and spiritual heritage of mountains. Mountains also play an important role in providing renewable energy, especially through hydropower, and solar and wind power. Investing in the building of sustainable infrastructure, including roads and trains, is critical for sustainable mountain development.
The Sixth Global Meeting of the Mountain Partnership convened for the first time in North America under the overarching theme, “Mountains Matter: Ideas to Action/Building Alliances for Resilient Mountains.” With the overall objective of promoting sustainable mountain development and confronting the rapidly accelerating impacts of climate change, the meeting discussed the agenda for the Mountain Partnership going forward, advocating for bringing mountain-related issues to the fore and the core of relevant international processes, as well as for action on the ground.
AIMF VP Eric Smith joins Thomas Hofer of FAO and François Pythoud from the Swiss government in a panel discussion.
The Global Meeting was organized by the Aspen International Mountain Foundation (AIMF), which was selected to host the event in a competitive process in June, 2021. AIMF's co-hosts were the State of Colorado, the City of Aspen, and the Aspen Institute. The meeting was underwritten by AIMF and 25 sponsors led by the State of Colorado (grants from the Colorado Tourism Office and the Colorado Outdoor Recreation Office), the City of Aspen, UNEP, the Government of Luxembourg, the World Bank, Colorado State University, The Aspen Institute, Atlantic Aviation and the Arjun Gupta Family Foundation. Governor Jared Polis, CSU Interim President Rick Miranda and Mayor Torre of Aspen delivered the opening remarks followed by a ceremonial blessing by Buffalo Child, a member of the Cree and Nakota Nations.
AIMF President Karinjo DeVore introduces the 102-year-old Aspen icon and founder of Sport Obermeyer, Klaus Obermeyer.
The meeting took place September 27-29, 2022, at the Aspen Meadows Resort in Aspen, Colorado, with over 200 participants from 54 countries attending, including Mountain Partnership delegates, observers, pass holders, the media, students and invited guests. It was the main event of the UN International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development 2022 (IYSMD). It was organized around plenary sessions that included panel discussions and special presentations, while numerous side events ran in the afternoon. The meeting elected a new steering committee for the Mountain Partnership, updated several of the Mountain Partnership’s strategy documents, and endorsed the Aspen Declaration, the Global Meeting outcome document which sets the course to promote the sustainable development of mountain areas on a global level.
AIMF spent $429,458 in six Colorado counties. Delegates attended a concert, stayed in lodging and frequented restaurants and stores in Aspen and Basalt, and some extended their trips to explore Colorado pre or post meeting.
Visit mountainsmatteraspen.com to see a full list of sponsors and participants, watch plenary sessions and side events, view photography and link to news coverage.