The theme is International Mountain Day 2025, which is celebrated on 11 December

Jakarta – International Mountain Day is celebrated every December 11. This commemoration aims to raise awareness about the importance of mountains to life. With the launch of the official UN website, the following is an overview of International Mountain Day 2025 Background to International Mountain Day Mountains are natural gems that we should cherish. Mountains are home to 15% of the world’s population and are home to around half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. Mountains provide fresh water for daily life for half of humanity, help support agriculture and provide clean energy and medicine. PAGE TO CONTINUE CONTENT Unfortunately, mountains are threatened by climate change, overexploitation and contamination, increasing the risks to people and the planet. As the global climate continues to warm, mountain glaciers are melting, affecting freshwater supplies downstream, and mountain communities – some of the world’s poorest – face an even greater struggle for survival. Steep slopes mean clearing forests for agriculture, settlements or infrastructure can cause soil erosion and loss of habitat. Erosion and pollution damage the quality of water flowing downstream and soil productivity. In fact, more than 311 million rural mountain dwellers in developing countries live in areas exposed to progressive land degradation, of whom 178 million are considered vulnerable to food insecurity. This issue affects us all. We need to reduce our carbon footprint and protect this natural wealth. Celebrated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) since 2003, International Mountain Day raises awareness of the importance of mountains to life, highlights opportunities and obstacles in mountain development, and builds alliances that will bring positive change to mountain communities and the environment around the world. Glaciers, an important source of life around our mountains. Glaciers, vast reserves of ice and snow found across the planet, are more than just frozen landscapes—they’re lifelines for ecosystems and communities, holding about 70 percent of the world’s fresh water. The accelerated melting of glaciers represents not only an environmental crisis, but also a humanitarian crisis, threatening agriculture, clean energy, water security and the lives of billions of people. Melting glaciers, driven by rising global temperatures, are a clear indicator of the climate crisis. Melting glaciers and melting of permanent ice sheets increase risks such as flooding, glacial lake overflow, landslides, or increased erosion and sedimentation, endangering downstream populations and critical infrastructure. International Mountain Day 2025 with the theme “Glaciers matter for water, food and livelihoods in mountains and beyond”, highlights the important role of mountain regions as the main global source of fresh water and calls for urgent action to prevent the disappearance of glaciers. (squeeze/squeeze)