
Safeguarding Mountain Social-Ecological Systems, Vol 2
Building Transformative Resilience in Mountain Regions Worldwide
- 1st Edition - June 28, 2024
- Imprint: Elsevier
- Editors: Stefan Schneiderbauer, Jorg Szarzynski, Paola Fontanella Pisa, John F. Shroder
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 3 2 8 2 4 - 4
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 3 2 8 2 5 - 1
Safeguarding Mountain Social-Ecological Systems, Volume Two: Building Transformative Resilience in Mountain Regions Worldwide presents an overview of the relevant research in mou… Read more

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Request a sales quoteSafeguarding Mountain Social-Ecological Systems, Volume Two: Building Transformative Resilience in Mountain Regions Worldwide presents an overview of the relevant research in mountain regions worldwide, identifies existing challenges, and provides an understanding of the diversity of mountain ecosystems in different regions. It focuses on understanding, protecting, and enhancing mountain social-ecological systems.
This second volume places a stronger emphasis on building transformative resilience in mountain regions, indicating a focus on proactive measures to address challenges and promote sustainable development. It also highlights regional perspectives and case studies and insights from various mountain regions worldwide.
This second volume places a stronger emphasis on building transformative resilience in mountain regions, indicating a focus on proactive measures to address challenges and promote sustainable development. It also highlights regional perspectives and case studies and insights from various mountain regions worldwide.
- Focuses on existing efforts, emerging risks, and collaborative initiatives in the field of mountain social-ecological systems
- Allows readers to gain insights into diverse social-ecological systems and understand the unique challenges and opportunities associated with each region
- Explores strategies and approaches to enhance the resilience of mountain social-ecological systems through case studies, insights, and opportunities presented in each region
Application oriented researchers, policy and decision makers, practitioners / public authorities in disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, sustainable land management, Climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, sustainable development, biodiversity
- Cover image
- Title page
- Table of Contents
- Copyright
- List of contributors
- About the editors
- Foreword by Jack D. Ives
- Preface by Xiaomeng Shen
- Preface by Martin F. Price
- Preface by Roland Psenner
- Acknowledgments
- Chapter 1. Introduction
- Abstract
- The importance of mountains and why applied mountain research is critical?
- The purpose and timing of publishing this book
- Structure of the book
- Acknowledgments
- References
- Part 1: Latin America and the Caribbeans
- Chapter 2. Social–ecological challenges and opportunities for Latin American mountains (Latin America - Introduction)
- Abstract
- References
- Chapter 3. Integrated volcanic disaster risk management in Mexico: insights, challenges, and opportunities
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Volcanic disaster risk
- Civil protection and InVolDRiM frameworks
- Concluding remarks
- Acknowledgment
- References
- Chapter 4. Manizales’ urban risk innovations: enhancing future resilience of an Andean city in transition
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Risk governance: development with transformation
- Lessons learned
- References
- Chapter 5. Extractive industry for the Green Transition: mining, and land conflicts in the lithium triangle of South America
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Governance issues around lithium mining in the triangle
- Legal issues around lithium mining in the triangle
- Conclusions
- References
- Chapter 6. Coping with change in the Equatorial Andes. Environmental and socioeconomic change in the Colombian coffee lands
- Abstract
- Coffee in Colombia
- From shade-grown to sun-grown coffee
- The next wave of adaptation: market and climate changes
- References
- Further reading
- Chapter 7. Climate services and energy production in Guatemala: forecasting streamflow in the upper Samalá River watershed
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Data and methods
- Results and discussion
- Conclusions
- References
- Chapter 8. The role of urban infrastructures for sustainable development of Andean cities
- Abstract
- Introduction: challenges of Andean cities
- Promising approaches toward sustainability
- Outlook: the role of infrastructure in the future of Andean cities
- References
- Chapter 9. Land-use and climate change impacts in the Venezuelan Andes at multiple spatial–temporal scales
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Leading research and monitoring programs
- Landscape impacts
- Community/ecosystem impacts
- Integrated global change adaptation strategies
- References
- Chapter 10. Understanding the governance structure of biosphere reserves in Central America is critical for sustainability
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Case studies
- Successes and challenges
- Conclusion
- References
- Chapter 11. Promoting sustainable mountain development: a strategy to bridge science and action in the Andes
- Abstract
- Introduction
- An integrated sustainable mountain development (i-SMD) model for the Andes
- Illustrating a few principles
- References
- Part 2: Africa
- Chapter 12. Risks and vulnerabilities to and from Africa’s major mountain ranges (Africa - Introduction)
- Abstract
- Africa’s mountains are unique
- Challenges are real
- Acknowledgments
- References
- Further reading
- Chapter 13. Southern African mountains—different, diverse, and in need of protection
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Threats to the sustainability of Southern African mountains
- Conservation status
- Acknowledgments
- References
- Further reading
- Chapter 14. Malagasy Central Highlands: the regional perspective
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Physical geography and climate
- Vegetation and flora
- Fauna
- Exceptional sites
- Conclusion
- Acknowledgments
- References
- Further reading
- Chapter 15. The sky islands in eastern Africa: biodiversity, opportunities, and risks
- Abstract
- Unique features of the eastern African mountains
- Biogeography—colonization and intermountain gene flow
- Threats from climate change and anthropogenic pressure
- Conclusions
- Acknowledgments
- References
- Chapter 16. The sustainability of western Africa’s scattered mountains—bumps ahead
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Sustainability challenges
- Conclusion
- Acknowledgments
- References
- Chapter 17. Northern Africa’s mountains: biodiversity and extinction hotspots in critical need of conservation reassessment and interventions
- Abstract
- Geological history
- Current biodiversity knowledge
- Megafaunal extinction
- Conservation status and prespectives
- References
- Chapter 18. Africa’s mountainous islands: archipelagos of fire, water, and problem species
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Risks and vulnerabilities on African-associated islands
- Macaronesia
- The Mascarene and Comoros archipelagos
- Erosion and water cycle: islands of extremes
- Conclusion
- Acknowledgments
- References
- Part 3: Europe
- Chapter 19. Challenges and opportunities for sustainable development in European mountains (Europe - Introduction)
- Abstract
- References
- Chapter 20. Where climate change hits vulnerable systems—major climate risks in European mountains
- Abstract
- Introduction—state of knowledge on climate change impacts, risks, and the demand for adaptation in European mountains
- Climate change in European mountains
- Consequences for societal sectors and key risks
- Conclusion: connections and common patterns
- References
- Chapter 21. Ecosystem services in the European Alps and global interlinkages
- Abstract
- Effects of global change on ecosystem services
- Spatial relationships and global interlinkages
- Outlook
- References
- Chapter 22. Coping with mining related hazards in the Romanian Carpathians: challenges and opportunities
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Case study: Classification of hazard and risk related to TMFs in the Carpathians
- Conclusions
- References
- Chapter 23. New insights into landownership and partnerships from the mountains of Scotland
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Landownership and communities
- Collaborative working at the landscape scale
- Looking to the future
- References
- Chapter 24. International immigration to European mountain regions: a resource for local revitalization and sustainable development
- Abstract
- Introduction. Out-migration and immigration in the mountains of Europe: persisting demographic decline and reversal trends
- The Alps
- The Pyrenees
- Discussion. Foreign immigration as an opportunity for “new peopling” and sustainable development in European mountains
- References
- Further reading
- Chapter 25. Words of warning: What natural-hazard fiction set in the Alps can teach us
- Abstract
- Natural hazards as literary topics
- Literature as a repository of knowledge
- An anthropological-empathic view on disasters
- Contemporary Alpine novels on natural hazards—a niche?
- Conclusion: past and present literature to enlighten today’s events
- References
- Chapter 26. Addressing climate action, soil protection, and risk governance in the Alps: the Alpine Convention’s contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals
- Abstract
- The Alpine Convention: addressing transnational challenges and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals
- Climate change mitigation and adaptation in the Alps and SDG 13 “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”
- Quantitative soil protection in the Alps as a contribution to SDG 15 “Life on Land”
- An innovative perspective on natural hazards in the Alps: risk governance and SDG 11 “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”
- Conclusions
- References
- Chapter 27. Bridging science, policy and practice for collaborations towards sustainable development in the Carpathian region
- Abstract
- Acknowledgments
- References
- Part 4: Central Asia
- Chapter 28. Challenges and opportunities for the Mountain Systems of Central Asia (Central Asia – Introduction)
- Abstract
- Livelihood strategies and climate change
- Soviet heritage
- Articles in this chapter
- References
- Chapter 29. Importance of glacier runoff for sustainable development of the Tarim River oases (Xinjiang, NW China)
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Methods and data
- Results and discussion
- Conclusions and recommendations
- References
- Chapter 30. Glacier monitoring as a prerequisite for local-scale adaption of water resource management
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Study site
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Achievements and outlook
- References
- Chapter 31. Land degradation in the mountain regions of Central Asia: the role of pastoral tenure systems
- Abstract
- Grazing systems and the breakdown of mobility
- Economic transition and pasture condition
- Sustainable land management and the economics of livestock movement
- The challenge of introducing common property resource management
- The relevance of the SDGs for grazing in Central Asian mountain areas
- Acknowledgments
- References
- Chapter 32. Case study: land degradation of pastures in Suusamyr Valley in Kyrgyzstan
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Methods and materials
- Results
- Conclusion and recommendations
- References
- Chapter 33. Stakeholder dialogue for improved water management in the Central Asian region
- Abstract
- Public participation through the prism of international law
- Public participation through the prism of national law and practical implementation
- References
- Chapter 34. Regional Nexus Dialogues for increased investments in water, energy, and food security in Central Asia
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Regional Nexus Dialogues in Central Asia
- Nexus as an enabler of multidimensional investment programs
- Conclusion
- References
- Part 5: Hindu Kush Himalaya
- Chapter 35. Challenges and opportunities for sustainable development in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region (Hindu Kush Himalaya - Introduction)
- Abstract
- References
- Chapter 36. Safeguarding the Third Pole: problems, challenges, and possible solutions in the Hindu Kush Himalaya
- Abstract
- Background
- Methodology
- Key issues and associated challenges of the region
- Varied and interlinked impacts
- Multiscaled and multisectoral responses and solutions
- Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreement, and Convention on Biological Diversity gaps
- Conclusion
- Acknowledgments
- References
- Chapter 37. Climate-smart agriculture in the western Hindu-Kush Himalayan region: a case study from northern Pakistan
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Historical temperature trends in northern Pakistan
- Future climate change projections in Gilgit-Baltistan
- Climate-smart agriculture practices
- The way forward
- Acknowledgments
- References
- Chapter 38. Adapting to the changing landscape in the Altai Mountains: a case study of Sutai mountain of Mongolia
- Abstract
- Background
- Study area
- Results and discussion
- Recommendations and conclusions
- References
- Chapter 39. Impacts of natural hazards and early warning systems in the Nepal Himalaya
- Abstract
- Background
- Early warning systems in Nepal
- Issues and challenges of early warning system
- Recommendations
- References
- Part 6: Closing
- Chapter 40. Summary and outlook
- Abstract
- References
- Index
- Edition: 1
- Published: June 28, 2024
- Imprint: Elsevier
- No. of pages: 400
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN: 9780443328244
- eBook ISBN: 9780443328251
SS
Stefan Schneiderbauer
Stefan Schneiderbauer is Head of GLOMOS Bolzano Office (Global Mountain Safeguard Research Program) in Italy and senior researcher of the Group Climate and Disaster Risk within the Eurac Research Institute for Earth Observation. Previously Dr Schneiderbauer worked for the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, the Free University of Berlin and as a freelancing consultant and trainer in the field of international cooperation and capacity building. He holds a Diploma in Geography from the University of Cologne and a PhD in Natural Sciences from the Free University of Berlin. Dr Schneiderbauer has extensive experience in spatial data analysis, remote sensing, sustainable development and participatory approaches for the co-development of evidence-based research results. His current scientific work focuses on concepts and applications for risk analyses conducted in inter- and transdisciplinary teams aiming at policy support. Since more than 12 years his research work is concentrated on climate and natural hazard risks in mountain regions.
Affiliations and expertise
Head of Global Mountain Safeguard Research Program (GLOMOS), Bolzano, ItalyJS
Jorg Szarzynski
Jörg Szarzynski serves at UNU-EHS as the Head of the GLOMOS Bonn Office (Global Mountain Safeguard Research Program) and is Co-Director of the Centre for Global Mountain Safeguard Research at Eurac Research, Bolzano, Italy. Furthermore, Dr. Szarzynski is Associate Professor at the Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa (DiMTEC), University of the Free State (UFS), Bloemfontein, Republic of South Africa. He serves as official member of the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) Team, an international emergency response system for sudden-onset emergencies administrated by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA). Dr. Szarzynski holds a Diploma in Geography from the University of Bonn and a PhD in Physical Geography and Atmospheric Sciences from the Universities in Mannheim and Göttingen. He has broad expertise in climatology and remote sensing, global environmental change and sustainable development research, capacity-building and web-based data and information management.
Affiliations and expertise
Head of GLOMOS, Bonn, GermanyPF
Paola Fontanella Pisa
Paola Fontanella Pisa is Programme Associate of Global Mountain Safeguard Research (GLOMOS) Programme, a joint endeavor of UNU-EHS and Eurac Research in South Tyrol. Holder of a Master of Arts in World Heritage Studies, she completed her studies on World Heritage Studies at the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, in Germany. Her research, pursued in Japan as exchange student at the Tsukuba University, investigated the role of memory transmission for disaster risk reduction. Ms. Fontanella Pisa obtained her Bachelor Degree in Language, Culture and Society of Asia and Mediterranean Africa at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, in Italy, where she specialized in Japanese language and culture. Her interest in disaster risk reduction and resilience building is rooted in her experiences working in Japan, in support to communities hit by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami. She is currently PhD candidate at the Graduate School of Environmental Studies at Tohoku University, Japan, where she carries out transdisciplinary research on the integration of local knowledge into disaster risk reduction and adaptation pathways in UNESCO mountain Biosphere Reserves. Her scientific work focuses on understanding the dynamics of nature-culture linkages in risk perception, ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction, and integrated risk management approaches of mountain social-ecological systems. Before her appointment with UNU-EHS, Ms. Fontanella Pisa has been working with UNESCO in the Natural Science Sector, supporting projects on building resilience of educational infrastructure, and developing related project proposals. Prior to that, Ms. Fontanella Pisa had the opportunity to collaborate with UNU-EHS as Secretariat of the Partnership for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction (PEDRR), hosted by UN Environment’s Crisis Management Branch in Geneva, Switzerland.
Affiliations and expertise
United Nations University (UNU), Bonn, GermanyJS
John F. Shroder
John (Jack) F. Shroder graduated from Union College’s Geology Program in 1961, received a Masters degree at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst in 1963, and a doctorate at the University of Utah in 1967. His first academic job was two years at the University of Malawi in Africa, before he joined the faculty at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) in 1969, where he remained for most of the next four decades. In the late 1970s he also spent several years on an NSF grant and a Fulbright at Kabul University in Afghanistan and then in 1983-84 he had another Fulbright to Peshawar University in Pakistan. These experiences led to many years of research in the Hindu Kush and western Himalaya which continued through a host of grants and the thick and thin of the interminable war years and terrorist threats over there. Finally in the post 9/11 world, the difficulties of dealing with the increasing terrorism and avoidance of problems in the field forced a cessation of further work in those difficult countries. Also the declining US economy led to so many other problems at UNO that in summer of 2011, Dr. Shroder stopped teaching his required geology major courses and attempted to retire to his and his wife Susie’s new house in Crested Butte, Colorado. This lasted barely a month before UNO pressured him to return at a vastly reduced part-time salary to once again cover his geomorphology class for the fall semester, 2011. But in the interim, Jack had begun a new editing career for the Elsevier publishing company so that he was spending more of his time producing new volumes of work in geomorphology and hazards analysis. With 30 volumes written or edited by 2012, and 9 more deep into the planning stages, the future of such work for him in his retirement years seems certain. These books go together with the more than 150 other scientific papers he is continuing to publish. Dr. Shroder is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The Board of Trustees of the Foundation of the Geological Society of America also asked Jack to join them for the next six years as well, so his deep interests in geology will be maintained. The Association of American Geographers has given Dr. Shroder distinguished career awards twice, once for their Mountain Specialty Group in 2001, and again for their Geomorphology Specialty Group in 2010.
Affiliations and expertise
Professor Emeritus, University of Nebraska at Omaha, USARead Safeguarding Mountain Social-Ecological Systems, Vol 2 on ScienceDirect