On a global scale there is considerable poverty among mountain inhabitants, which contributes to this environmental degradation.
Mountain ecosystems contain considerable biodiversity and are home to many endangered species.
Because of their vertical dimension, they include a rich variety of ecological systems. A mountain may include a number of different climatic systems, representing microcosms of larger habitat diversity. Mountain ecosystems are also very sensitive to climatic changes. The Chapter focuses on the need for more information about mountain ecology, resource potential and socio-economic activities in these ecosystems. These are briefly outlined below.