Mountains on the Climate Change Frontline
Mountains are the economic resource base for about 10 per
cent of the world's population, providing us with forests and
timber, water, hydroelectricity, and minerals, as well as
providing facilities for tourism and recreation. The development
and accessibility of many mountainous regions, especially in Europe
and North America, allows millions to enjoy skiing in the winter,
hiking in the summer, and spectacular scenery yearround.
Mountains also support unique ecosystems with a wide diversity
of plants and animals, and represent some of the last remaining
wilderness areas unchanged by human hands. But mountain regions
are on the frontline of global warming, and their natural resources
could be among the most severely impacted parts of the biosphere.
Glaciers in Recession ..............................................
Snow and Skiing ....................................................
Ecology and Ecosystems .............................................
Copyright 1996, The World Wide Fund For Nature
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