Experts and officials from the 187 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity met in Montreal, Canada from March 10-14 to assess the current status of mountain biological diversity, as well as the human pressures on mountain ecosystems. Mountains cover one-fourth of the Earth's surface and are home to one-eighth of the human population. Half of humanity relies on mountain ecosystems for fresh water, a fact that makes mountains particularly important from a political perspective. Mountains also harbour a significant portion of the world's biodiversity.
