Limited opportunities for economic development and related depopulation trends are a common challenge faced by many mountain communities worldwide. But mountain communities are also a fertile ground for social innovations and new ways of envisioning the future. In this online dialogue, speakers presented social innovations from Switzerland, Georgia, Nepal, and Ecuador, and offered recommendations on how to best promote such innovations for the benefit of mountain economies.

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Working with Indigenous and local knowledge holders is crucial to conserving mountain landscapes. It can provide the systemic approaches needed to reconcile human wellbeing with nature conservation. From a decolonial perspective, it is also fundamental to creating just conservation initiatives. In this online dialogue, MRD authors discussed their findings on these issues with Indigenous representatives, practitioners, and the audience. Key takeaways include the importance of coleadership and meaningful, respectful relationships.

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People living in mountain regions are among those most exposed to climate change risks. Despite major efforts to promote adaptation, gaps between policies and local responses persist and limit effective pathways toward more resilient mountain communities. In this online dialogue, speakers stressed the importance of involving local communities and using context-specific knowledge to adapt to climate change. They called for multisectoral and multilevel approaches and emphasized the need for tackling inequalities and embedding adaptation actions in a broader vision of resilient development.

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