The mountains of the entire planet are the honorees of their own “International Year” in 2002. The United Nations has issued an appeal to involve institutions and individuals around the world in achieving a fundamental goal for the Earth's well-being: the sustainable development of its mountainous zones.

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The idea that the international community needs to pay special attention to mountains was proposed in 1992 at the UN-sponsored Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Coming out of that summit was Agenda 21, a broad plan for the world's sustainable development. Chapter 13 of that document is dedicated to mountainous regions.

“Mountains are an important source of water, energy and biological diversity. Furthermore, they are a source of such key resources as minerals, forest products and agricultural products and of recreation. As a major ecosystem representing the complex and interrelated ecology of our planet, mountain environments are essential to the survival of the global ecosystem,” says the text.

Approximately 10 percent of the world population depends directly on mountains and their resources for their livelihood, but a much larger portion utilizes resources that originate in mountainous areas, such as freshwater.

The Internet holds a great deal of information about the importance of mountain ecosystems. Some organizations specialize in promoting their conservation, and others in disseminating information about mountains from around the globe