GEO Mountains was formally launched in 2016, when it became both a Flagship Activity of the Mountain Research Initiative (MRI) and an official Initiative of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO). This step built on many years of earlier work, which laid the foundations for today’s network and activities. While not exhaustive, the history outlined below demonstrates that GEO Mountains has benefited from, incorporated, and sought to further advance the legacy of various previous community efforts, such as the Global Network of Mountain Observatories (GNOMO). The MRI’s Mountain Observatories and Elevation Dependent Climate Change Working Groups also continue to make substantial contributions to the work of the Initiative.
MRI PROPOSED
The Mountain Research Initiative (MRI) was proposed by the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), the International Human Dimensions Programme (IHDP), and the Global Terrestrial Observation System (GTOS).
“[The Mountain Research Initiative] strives to achieve an integrated approach for observing, modelling, and investigating global change phenomena and processes in mountain regions, including their impacts on ecosystems and socio-economic systems.” – Alfred Becker and Harald Bugmann, 2001.
MRI MISSION BEGINS
The MRI began supporting long-term monitoring and analysis of environmental change in mountain regions. Learn more about the history of the MRI here.
GLOCHAMORE LAUNCHED
The launch of the Global Change in Mountain Regions (GLOCHAMORE) project took place in 2003. This project, coordinated by the MRI and the University of Vienna, looked at global change in UNESCO Biosphere Reserves around the world. With the collaboration of over 250 scientists and Biosphere Reserve managers, GLOCHAMORE developed a targeted research strategy, which recommends specific actions to detect, monitor, and react to signals of global change at local and regional scales. This research strategy was subsequently used as the basis for UNESCO's Global and Climate Change in Mountain Sites (GLOCHAMOST) initiative.
SYMPOSIUM HELD AND NETWORK OF SITES ESTABLISHED IN THE ANDES
In 2006, the CONCORD Symposium on Climate Sciences of the North and South American Cordillera was held in Mendoza, Argentina (Díaz et al., 2006). Following this, the MRI and UNESCO’s Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme helped establish the American Cordillera Transect (ACT) – a network of sites for coordinated research in line with the GLOCHAMORE research strategy (Greenwood & Drexler, 2007).
MRI TAKES KEY STEPS ON ELEVATION-DEPENDENT WARMING
The MRI’s work on Elevation Dependent Warming (EDW) began in 2012, with an early workshop held in Payerbach, Austria laying the foundations for a dedicated Working Group. In 2015, a seminal paper on the topic was published in Nature Climate Change (Pepin et al. 2015).
The paper emphasized the importance of long-term, spatially-dense temperature observations across elevational gradients for identifying elevation-dependent warming (EDW) patterns, and noted that data limitations – especially the scarcity of high-elevation and long-term monitoring stations – pose a significant challenge to detecting and understanding EDW. This later supported the case for setting up GEO Mountains.
GLOBAL NETWORK OF MOUNTAIN OBSERVATORIES CREATED
Two MRI-hosted workshops in Reno, Nevada (2014), and Crested Butte, Colorado (2015), brought together representatives of mountain observatories worldwide. These meetings led to the creation of the Global Network of Mountain Observatories (GNOMO), designed to coordinate and integrate monitoring of mountain social–ecological systems (see Greenwood, 2013 ; Flint, 2016).
GEO MOUNTAINS BECOMES OFFICIAL GROUP ON EARTH OBSERVATIONS INITIATIVE
Building on the foundations laid by GNOMO, the GEO Global Network on Observations and Information in Mountain Environments (GEO-GNOME, later GEO Mountains) was proposed and subsequently accepted as an official Group on Earth Observations (GEO) Initiative during the 13th Annual GEO Plenary in St. Petersburg, Russia in November 2016. In the same year, it was also designated as an MRI Flagship Activity.
“How can we plan a sustainable future without good information? The MRI’s work connecting observatories and opening up access to mountain data is very important.” – Rolf Weingartner, MRI Chair 2007-2019.
SDC ADAPTATION AT ALTITUDE PROGRAM (A@A) BEGINS
Under the A@A program, with financial support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) granted to the MRI for GEO Mountains, efforts were initiated to enhance data, information, and monitoring efforts in five key mountain regions – the Andes, East Africa, Central Asia, the Hindu Kush Himalaya, and the Caucasus.
GEO MOUNTAINS RELEASES NEW INVENTORIES
GEO Mountains released the first versions of its In Situ and General Inventories, and published work on Essential Mountain Climate Variables (EMCVs). In 2021, GNOMO was formally incorporated into GEO Mountains.
GEO MOUNTAINS PRODUCES KEY PUBLICATIONS
In 2022, a paper exploring the coverage of open daily climate station measurements across the world’s mountains with respect to space, time, and elevation was published, providing clear guidance for possible network enhancements in future. The same year, GEO Mountains conducted an analysis of human population dynamics across the world’s mountains, which was cited in the Cross–Chapter Paper 'Mountains' in the IPCC’s 6th Assessment Report.
A Policy Brief on Mountain Observations was also issued in observance of the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development (for a full list of GEO Mountains publications, please see here).
GEO MOUNTAINS CONDUCTS REGIONAL WORKSHOPS
GEO Mountains organized regional workshops in each of the Adaptation at Altitude focal regions, bringing together researchers, operational agencies, and organizations such as the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). In 2023, the Mountains Uncovered series—factsheets for 100 global mountain regions—was also published
GEO MOUNTAINS MAKES IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS ON MONITORING PRIORITES
GEO Mountains' contributions to the challenge of identifying mountain monitoring priorities continued with the publication of a paper on Essential Biodiversity Monitoring in Mountains. 2024 also saw the publication of a draft protocol for the Unified High-Elevation Observing Platform, which envisages more consistent networks of stations spanning elevational gradients, and represents another example of close cooperation between GEO Mountains and the MRI’s Elevation Dependent Climate Change (EDCC) Working Group.
LOOKING AHEAD
GEO Mountains was accepted into the Post-2025 GEO Work Programme, entering a new phase of 'Research to Operations' as a GEO Initiative, with continued support from the MRI, CNR, and many network partners and individual contributors.