Mountain Partnership (MP) members The Mountain Institute (TMI) and the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences (RANS) presented an oral statement on behalf of the MP on 7 February 2017 during the 55th Commission for Social Development (CSocD55) at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Their statement called for the creation of a permanent, official UN entity “to insure that mountain stakeholders have a voice in implementing UN processes and the 2030 Agenda”.

On 10 January 2017, the Division for Social Policy and Development of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs announced an open call for oral statements for the 2017 CSocD55 for NGOs with United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) consultative status. The priority theme for this meeting was: "Strategies for the eradication of poverty to achieve sustainable development for all". The Mountain Partnership Secretariat shared this call with MP members with ECOSOC consultative status.

TMI and RANS’ request make an oral presentation was accepted, and Mary “Jesse” Chapman-Bruschini, Communications Director of TMI, delivered the joint statement at CSocD55. She opened by highlighting the importance of mountains in sustainable development, explaining how mountains regions do not receive the attention they deserve given the services provide. “We tend to view mountains as unchanging, enduring and massive,” said Chapman-Bruschini. “But in fact, mountain ecosystems are quite fragile and severely threatened by climate change—and by our disregard.”

Noting how food security, good nutrition and sustainable agriculture are cornerstones for sustainable development, Chapman-Bruschini continued by sharing the results of a recent Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) study, which shows that more than 300 million mountain people living in developing countries are at risk of hunger and malnutrition. Chapman-Bruschini said, “Mountains must be at the centre of our actions if we are to fulfil the Paris Agreement, the latest UN resolution on sustainable mountain development and the commitments of the 2030 Agenda that ‘no one be left behind.’”

How to apply for ECOSOC Consultative Status

Thirteen MP members currently have ECOSOC consultative status. If your organization would like to work with ECOSOC in future sessions, you can apply for ECOSOC consultative status at this link: http://csonet.org/?menu=83
Please note that applications must be received by 1 June of the year before the NGO wishes to be considered for recommendation by the Committee. Therefore, applications submitted between 2 June 2016 and 1 June 2017 will be taken up by the Committee on NGOs in 2018.

Read the full statement

Taken from Mountain Partnership

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