Kyrgyz Republic: Global Mountain Summit

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has issued a request for an international response to save the world’s mountain ranges. He made his declaration in Bishkek, the capital of the former Soviet Republic of the Kyrgyz Republic on Tuesday.

He stressed the need to protect the world’s mountain ranges, due to the fact that over half the world population depends on water supplies and electricity originating from the mountain ranges and because mountain ranges are rich in biodiversity. These resources are being put at risk by human activity, namely logging, mining, agricultural practices and the changing environment.

Kofi Annan called for public-private stakeholder associations to be set up to deal with the serious issues involved and praised the work of the International partnership for Sustainable Development in Mountain Communities for its success since it was set up earlier this year.

Timothy BANCROFT-HINCHEY PRAVDA.Ru