WS 3.118: Innovative Approaches for Mountain Resilience

Mountain regions are not only vital global ecosystems but also present unique challenges due to their vulnerability to climate change impacts, biodiversity loss, and economic pressures. There is a common understanding that the resilience of mountain social-ecological systems and particularly of mountain communities need to be strengthened, in particular through innovative approaches building on traditional and Indigenous knowledge, to face these challenges. Responding to this need, numerous measures have been proposed but observable changes and improvements at the local level are limited. This workshop builds on a first Mountain Innovation Fair hosted in October 2023 and focuses on innovative solutions addressing sustainable mountain development issues and discussing enabling factors as well as ways of how science can act as a bridge between practitioners’ capacities, environmental goals, societal needs, private sector interests, and effective policy frameworks. It will look at new ways to foster collaborative innovation across global mountain communities and how to bring together practitioners, scientists, policymakers, business leaders, and community stakeholders for innovation and sustainable development in mountain areas. This workshop aims to discuss actionable solutions, foster a culture of exchange and cooperation between mountain regions, and encourage sustainable, science-based development that strengthens resilience and adaptability in mountain environments. IMC participants who have worked on innovative approaches for mountain regions, or are interested in engaging with these topics, are encouraged to join. Picture credit: Eurac Research – Andres de Giovanni