Mountains: > 1000 m asl Occupying about one- quarter of the worlds - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Mountains of the World : Water Towers for the Fragile Ecosystems Mohammed Saif Al-Kalbani OWS Member

Mountains: > 1000 m asl Occupying about one- quarter of the world’s land surface area In Asia, cover 18.2% of the continent (Himalaya, Andes, Alps)

Mountains: Fragile Ecosystems  Providing a direct life-support base for the 22% of the world’s population living in mountains  Lowland people also depend on mountain environment  Providing goods and services to more than half of the world’s population  Mountain systems are more sensitive to global alterations  Highly fragile ecosystems

Mountains: UN Agenda  Chapter 13 of ‘Agenda 21 ’, the main outcomes of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro 1992, entitled “ Managing Fragile Ecosystems- Sustainable Mountain Development ”  The incipit of Chapter 13 of Agenda 21 states that “ mountains are an important source of water, energy and biological diversity ”

Mountains: UN Agenda  Mountain environments are essential to the survival of the global ecosystem  World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg: launch the ‘Mountain Partnership’ in 2002  International Year of Mountains, 2002  International Year of Freshwater, 2003  Mountain World Day, 11 December

Most Important Topics for Mountains 1. Water towers for an increasing world population and food production Biological diversity and 2. protected areas Cultural diversity and 3. sacred mountains Recreation areas for a 4. rapidly growing urbanized world population Climate change and its 5. effects on ecosystems and water resources – mountains as highly sensitive indicators

Mountains: Water Towers ▪ The greatest global value of mountains is as “ water towers ” ▪ Water resources provided by the world’s mountains are vital for both mountain and lowland people. ▪ Importance of mountains for the global freshwater supply ▪ More than half of humanity relies on freshwater for drinking, domestic use, irrigation, hydropower and industry ( 60-80% of freshwater in the world ) ▪ In arid regions, mountains are the only areas with sufficient precipitation ▪ Mountains account for 50-90% to total discharge in arid areas ▪ Lower evapotranspiration rates at higher altitudes help store water in reservoirs .

Arid Mountain Water: Challenges ▪ Increasing pressures on water resources ▪ Climate change and its impacts on water resources ▪ Inadequate data and information on mountain hydrology ▪ Insufficient knowledge on highland-lowland interactions ▪ Poor dissemination of the limited existing data ▪ Inadequate water resource management ▪ Degradation of water quantity and quality ▪ Changes in the status of water resources in the mountains will affect mountain dwellers, their livelihoods and welfare

Oman Mountains - Oman Flora and Fauna Survey (Harrison 1975) - hydrogeology (Stanger 1986) - Mott MacDonald (1989) - 1994: 29 small storage dams - 1999-2005: German-Omani Cooperation Project: Oasis Settlements in Oman - Al-Jabal Al Akhdar Initiative: Conservation and Sustainable Development in a Fragile Arid Mountain Ecosystem, 2004-2007 (Project workshop, 2006) - Conference: Mountains of the World: Ecology, Conservation, SD, 2008 - 2014: Symposium on Oman Mountain: Environment & Agriculture Theme Research/Studies Environment/biodiversity Victor 2003; Victor 2009; Al-Jamei 2004 Land use/vegetation change Luedeling and Buerkert 2008; Brinkmann et al. 2011a; Livestock Brinkmann et al. 2009; Buerkert and Schlecht production/grazing 2009; Moreau et al. 2009; Schlecht et al. 2009; Schlecht et al. 2011; Dickhoefer et al. 2010; Zaibet et al. 2004 Crops/irrigated soils Wichern et al. 2004a;b;c Luedeling et al. 2005; Siebert et al. 2007; Robinson and Al Nabhani 2009; Buerkert et al. 2005; 2009a; 2010a Agriculture/food production Gebauer et al. 2007; 2009; Luedeling 2007; Luedeling et al. 2009; Opara et al. 2009a;b; Buerkert et al. 2009b; Al-Busaidi 2010; Al- Rawahi 2012; Al-Rawahi et al. 2014 Crop protection Al-Sadi et al. 2009; Al-Raisi 2010 Tourism Chaudhuri and Ramanathan 2009; Ramanathan and Subramanian 2009; Buerkert et al. 2010b; Al- Balushi et al. 2011 Socio-economic Al-Azri 2005; Al-Busaidi 2012

Symposium on "Sustainable Water Management in Fragile Mountain Ecosystems“, 12 -13 April 2017, Al Jabal Al Akhdar ❖ Objectives : ➢ Exchanging knowledge, information, experiences, networking, and best practices between researchers, governmental institutions, decision and policy makers, private sector, non- governmental organizations and other stakeholders on water resources issues, strategies and management in the mountains. ➢ Identifying challenges and suggesting solutions and options to implement innovative technologies and improve water use efficiency and sustainability of water resources in the mountains ➢ Raising awareness for the importance of mountain ecosystems and implement integrated water resources management

Symposium on "Sustainable Water Management in Fragile Mountain Ecosystems“, 12 -13 April 2017, Al Jabal Al Akhdar ❖ Themes ✓ Hydro-geological characteristics and its impacts on mountain water resources. ✓ Water resources utilization for different sectors in the mountains. ✓ Conventional and non-conventional water resources development and sustainability in the mountains. ✓ Environmental assessment and climate change impacts on mountain water resources. ✓ Technology application for sustainable water resources management in the mountains.