How did the idea for this book come about?

Stefan Schneiderbauer:  It began when I was invited to contribute to a book on hazards in general. About five years ago, Elsevier approached me to edit one of a series of books, but I proposed a different concept – a book that really focused on more systemic, holistic views of the challenges facing mountain regions in general. They agreed. In fact, one of the editors from that earlier series, John F. Shroder Jr., is one of the four editors of ‘SAFEGUARDING MOUNTAIN SOCIAL-ECOLOGICAL SYSTEMS, A GLOBAL CHALLENGE’. The fourth editor is Joerg Szarzynski, our colleague who heads the GLOMOS office in Bonn.

Fontanella Pisa Paola: The idea behind the structure of the book came from a gap we identified: until then, there was no comprehensive book addressing mountain areas and the challenges they face in such a holistic way. Or that gave such prominent role to African mountain area. It wasn’t just about mentioning Africa’s Mountain areas with one or two examples; we wanted to include different chapters divided regionally, with actual in-situ researchers providing an overview. On the other hand, it became an excellent opportunity for GLOMOS to learn about on-going activities from the main actors working in the field of mountain systems worldwide, and to strengthen the connections with them. It resulted in quite a comprehensive publication. Even now, whenever I need relevant information about mountain challenges and existing activities, or a specific case study from a mountain area, I always refer to these two volumes.

 What did each of you bring in as editors?

SS: This question ties directly to the main idea of the book: as editors, we brought a global perspective. We considered all the mountain areas, the existing networks, and the experts worldwide. However, due to our different backgrounds, we also recognized that many solutions for mountain regions are locally specific. We analyzed a wide variety of major mountain ranges, addressing distinct challenges faced by these regions. In keeping with the GLOMOS principles, we approached everything in a highly participatory way.

PFP: Can you imagine, we started this project in 2019? It been both a learning experience for us and an opportunity to produce an output that supports other researchers working in mountains, both now and in the future. However, it’s not just for researchers because practitioners also contributed into the book. The goal was to create a universal tool for anyone working with mountain areas.

 How have the contributors reacted to the final volumes?

SS: In March 2025, at the next South African Mountain Conference, the delegation is eager to present our book. may be other books that cover the Himalayas in more detail, but for the African mountain regions, this is definitely the most comprehensive analysis to date. The same is likely true for the Central Asian regions. There’s nothing comparable out there.

 Can you speak about how these two books work?

PFP: Ultimately, the division between the two books was quite straightforward. The first book lays the foundation, providing an overview of the main challenges. We didn’t just focus on disaster risk reduction in general; we also brought together existing networks and efforts towards addressing interconnected challenges such as drought, biodiversity loss, climate change and so on. Solutions through international networks for protected areas, or nature-based solutions, have also been presented – just to mention some. The book examines the key institutions that address mountain-related topics: the UNDRR presents a policy perspective, highlighting concerns within the Sendai framework. The UNCCD discusses the challenges related to desertification. We also share insights on UNESCO’s World Network of Mountain Biosphere Reserves, focusing on them as a “role model for sustainable development”. The first book paints a broader picture of the main challenges and solutions identified at a global level. The second book follows up on these challenges and opportunities and zooms into specific regions to highlight the context specificity of each of them.

How did you manage to cover so much?

PFP: For each region, we appointed an onsite coordinator who helped identify the key researchers within their local network, and who also presented case studies, specific situations, or challenges. They were then responsible to bring these contributions together with an introductory article, in order to provide a picture of the main topics that emerged for each region. This approach was applied consistently across all regions: Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, Central Asia, or the Hindu Kush Himalaya. What was interesting is that we saw how certain dynamics and challenges manifest in specific ways in each area. However, there are also common vulnerabilities and concerns shared by many mountain regions. This was summarized in the closing chapter, where we draw conclusions on how the Sustainable Development Goals intersect with the challenges and solutions presented throughout the book.

 How has the field of mountain social-ecological systems evolved?

SS:  The clearest shift has been the growing prominence of climate change, which has become much more evident over the last few decades. However, I would also argue that other processes related to globalization are equally threatening. In the books, we aim to focus not only on climate and biophysical parameters but also on socio-economic developments. What’s special about this is that it combines two scales: global and regional. We examine both the commonalities and the specificities of various mountain regions

PFP: Through compiling these volumes, the extent to which international frameworks play such an important role as well as the growing recognition that global challenges are interconnected definitely emerged…these factors are becoming increasingly prominent.

SS: One of the key learnings for GLOMOS over the last five years is that mountain areas often do not receive appropriate attention. There’s a tendency to view them as isolated from urban realities and detached from global challenges.

 And they aren’t…

PFP: Many impacts do not remain in the mountains, and many effects of climate change originate there, but their consequences are felt in the lowlands. Raising awareness about highland-lowland interactions is crucial, as the impacts extend beyond the mountain.

SS: What happens in mountains does not stay in mountains.

About the Interviewed

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Paola Fontanella Pisa is an anthropologist. Before her appointment with UNU-EHS, she worked with UNESCO in the Natural Science Sector, supporting projects on building resilience of educational infrastructure, and developing related project proposals. She now seeks to understand the use of stories in how they shape our social, cultural, spiritual, political, and economic landscapes and how stories can be transformed them into practical tools for reducing disaster risk.

About the Interviewed

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Geographer Stefan Schneiderbauer has been involved in (climate) risk management in mountain regions for more than 20 years. At Eurac Research, he manages the GLOMOS program for the UN University, which supports the conservation and sustainable development of mountain areas worldwide.