Helping countries plan for climate change in mountain regions
Mountain regions are particularly vulnerable to climate change. Rising temperatures, retreating glaciers, changing precipitation patterns, and increasing climate-related hazards are affecting mountain ecosystems, water resources, infrastructure, and the livelihoods of millions of people. These changes also have important consequences for populations living downstream.
Responding to these challenges requires reliable information about how mountain environments are changing, who and what is at risk, and which adaptation measures are likely to be effective.
GEO Mountains is coordinating the development of EO4Mountains, a technical supplement to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Technical Guidelines. The supplement will provide practical guidance on how Earth Observation and related information can support climate adaptation planning, implementation, and monitoring in mountain regions.
What are National Adaptation Plans?
National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) are a key mechanism through which countries identify and address the risks posed by climate change. Established under the UNFCCC, the NAP process helps countries assess their climate vulnerabilities, identify adaptation priorities, and integrate climate change adaptation into national policies, development planning, and investment decisions.
To support this process, the UNFCCC’s Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) has developed Technical Guidelines for the National Adaptation Plan Process. These guidelines provide countries with a framework for developing and implementing their NAPs, including assessing climate risks, identifying adaptation options, and monitoring progress.
While the guidelines are applicable across different national contexts, countries often require additional technical guidance to address the particular challenges of specific sectors, ecosystems, or geographical regions.
This is where the EO4Mountains supplement comes in.
Why do mountain regions need specific guidance?
Mountain environments present particular challenges for climate adaptation planning. Their steep terrain, complex climatic conditions, remoteness, and limited monitoring infrastructure can make it difficult to obtain reliable information about climate risks and environmental change.
Mountain communities also face interconnected risks, including changing water availability, glacier retreat, floods, landslides, ecosystem degradation, and impacts on agriculture, energy production, and infrastructure.
Although mountain-related adaptation priorities are increasingly recognised in national climate policies, analyses of existing NAPs have identified gaps in how mountain-specific risks, information needs, and adaptation measures are addressed.
The EO4Mountains supplement aims to help countries bridge these gaps by providing practical guidance on identifying and using relevant environmental information to support adaptation decisions in mountain regions.
How can Earth Observation support mountain adaptation?
Earth Observation (EO) provides valuable information about environmental conditions and changes over time, particularly in remote mountain regions where conventional monitoring networks may be limited.
In the EO4Mountains supplement, Earth Observation is understood broadly to include satellite observations, ground-based and in-situ measurements, and model-derived information. These different sources of information can be brought together to help countries understand climate risks, identify adaptation priorities, and monitor the effectiveness of adaptation measures.
For example, Earth Observation can help countries:
- Assess climate risks and vulnerabilities: Identify areas exposed to floods, landslides, glacier-related hazards, droughts, and other climate-related risks.
- Manage water resources: Monitor changes in snow cover, glaciers, precipitation, and water availability to support water security and energy planning.
- Support agriculture and livelihoods: Track changes in vegetation, land use, and environmental conditions affecting mountain communities.
- Protect ecosystems: Monitor changes in forests, rangelands, biodiversity, and ecosystem services to inform ecosystem-based adaptation.
- Monitor adaptation progress: Provide information and indicators that help countries assess whether adaptation measures are achieving their intended outcomes.
The supplement will also recognise the importance of Indigenous and local knowledge in understanding environmental change and developing appropriate adaptation responses. Such knowledge can provide essential context for interpreting observations and ensuring that adaptation measures respond to local priorities.
Project development and next steps
The supplement is being developed through GEO Mountains Task Group 3 (TG3), bringing together experts and organisations working on Earth Observation, mountain environments, climate services, and adaptation policy.
The work builds on existing analyses of mountain-related priorities in NAPs, relevant GEO resources, and experience from other technical supplements developed to support the UNFCCC NAP process.
Following initial consultations and the development of the document structure, work is underway to prepare thematic guidance, practical examples, and supporting materials. These contributions will be consolidated and reviewed with relevant experts and stakeholders.
The current aim is to launch the EO4Mountains technical supplement in conjunction with the NAP Expo expected in March 2027.
Get involved
GEO Mountains welcomes contributions from experts and organisations working on mountain adaptation, Earth Observation, environmental monitoring, and climate services.
We are particularly interested in practical examples demonstrating how observation data and information have supported climate adaptation planning, implementation, or monitoring in mountain regions.
For further information or to explore opportunities to contribute, please contact geomountains@mountainresearchinitiative.org.
Project status: Ongoing
Cover by Boudhayan Bardhan