Noida: Mountains are home to 15% of the world’s population and host about half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. They provide freshwater for everyday life to half of humanity. Their conservation is a key factor for sustainable development.

“Unfortunately, mountains are under threat from climate Change and overexploitation. As the global climate continues to warm, mountain people — some of the world’s poorest — face even greater struggles to survive. The rising temperatures also mean that mountain glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates, affecting freshwater supplies downstream for millions of people,” informed Dr. Sandeep Marwah President of ICMEI-International Chamber of Media And Entertainment Industry at the meeting of Environment & Climate Committee of ICMEI.

“This problem affects us all. We must reduce our carbon footprint and take care of these natural treasures,” added Dr. Marwah who is also President of AAFT University of Media And Arts and WPDRF- World Peace Development And Research Foundation.

The increasing attention to the importance of mountains led the UN to declare to 2002 the UN International Year of Mountains. The first international day was celebrated for the first time the following year, 2003.