Kyrgyzstan called on participants of the UN Climate Change Conference to join the Declaration on Climate Change, Mountains and Glaciers.
At the event "High-Level Dialogue: Advancing the Mountain Agenda and Mainstreaming the Theme of Mountains and Climate Change," President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov began his speech with a Kyrgyz proverb: "Toolordo menin zhurogum, toolordo menin tunogum!," which translates as: "My heart is in the mountains, my refuge is in the mountains!," which points to the sacred and ecological importance of mountains.
He noted that mountains occupy about a quarter of the Earth’s surface, are the largest ecological system on our planet, inhabited by about 1.1 billion people, and more than 50% of the world’s population uses mountain resources, including fresh water originating in the mountains.
"At the same time, residents of mountainous regions face such challenges as extreme natural conditions, natural disasters, low agricultural productivity of land, communication isolation, limited access to social and economic services, which hinders their development, leading to an increase in poverty," the head of state said.
He emphasized that climate change has a particularly negative impact on glaciers, water resources, agriculture and, in general, on human life.
This story was produced with support from Internews' Earth Journalism Network. It was first published in 24.kg on November 13, 2024. It has been lightly edited for length and clarity.
Banner image: Kyrgyzstan's President Sadyr Japarovhas emphasized the importance of mountain resources that help sustain 50% of the world's population / Credit: 24.kg.
Anastasiia Bengard
