ABSTRACT
The first decade of the twenty-first century has witnessed the concerted effort of governments, nonprofit organizations, conservationists, and mountain residents partnering to conserve and protect mountains on a global level. Three particular international events highlight the momentum of these groups. The first was the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, also known as the Earth Summit, which was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; this conference produced several documents focusing on improved environmental resource management. One example, Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development outlines why mountain environments are important, discusses how they are threatened, and presents six detailed objectives of a program to protect mountain areas.
