Konference "Climate Changes and Natural Hazards in Mountain Areas"

Background

High mountain areas all over the world are distinguished by high dynamics of relief development as well as complicated natural and climate conditions. Through influence of mentioned natural events the mountains are the sites where a lot of natural disasters happen annually.

Most of natural hazards occurring in mountain environment are closely related to climate features. Due to current climate changes the distribution of threatened sites changes. High number of new glacial lakes appear, the altitude of permafrost-related slope instability ascends, the changes in distribution and amount of precipitation cause flash floods, underflooding, debris-flows and huge landslides.

The hazardous phenomena should be researched both in the field and by modern methods of remote sensing and computer modelling. Modern methods using databases, GIS systems and interpertation of space images should be implemented in involved developing countries.

Tight international cooperation is strongly needed for effective solution of all above mentioned tasks. The results of the conference will serve as basic material for design of future projects, international programmes and to attract prospective donors.

Forthcoming event follows up the meeting held in Bishkek in 2009. The conference "Mitigation of Mountain Hazards in Mountain Areas" (" Mountainhazards 2009") brought together specialists from 18 countries of Asia, Europe and North America. Wide range of questions related to natural hazards in mountain areas was discussed in 34 presentations. The conference proceedings containing 49 papers and abstracts were issued as the conference output. Next conference in Dushanbe will develop all topics presented in Bishkek and discussed them in more detail.

More detailed information and all abstracts and papers are published on the website:www.mountainhazards2009.com.

Goal of the conference

The goal of the conference is the discussion on investigation of hazardous natural processes and the experience in monitoring the phenomena and risk mitigation. Research of relations between current climate changes and hazardous processes in mountain environment is the special topic of the conference. Strengthening the international cooperation in Central Asia and worldwide will be the main output of the conference.

Yegor Volovik, yegor.volovik@undp.org.