are among the most threatened mountain areas in the world and should be given priority in conservation.

The UN is anxious to raise awareness of the problem facing mountain areas because they are inhabited by some of the most vulnerable people. These people could lose their culture and their livelihood with even the smallest shifts in climate.

At the same time, many mountain regions are losing people. Thousands of villages in Europe are deserted most of the year. In other areas like Nepal, people are drifting to the cities in search of work.