Guide on Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples

High altitude andHigh Montane EcosystemsA significant number of indigenous peoples have inhabited high altitude 2or high montane areas since time immemorial. Mountain glaciers in Africa(Mt. Kilimanjaro), Asia (Himalayas) and South America (Andean Mountains)are melting in an unprecedented fast pace. In the Andes, the glaciers aremelting 10 times more thatthey did 20 years ago. 3 It isHigh altitude and high montane estimated that some of the- one of the most inhospitable but important ice sheets and glaciers willecosystems of the world as these are where disappear within 15 to 25mountain glaciers are found which are the years and this will threatensources of freshwater for low-lying areas. water supplies to the majorStudies have shown that climate change has South American cities.caused faster and higher temperature rises in • The source ofhigh altitude ecosystems.subsistence for manyindigenous communitiesin this ecosystem are gravely threatened because of extreme andunprecedented cold spells alternating with warm weather which they arenot used to at all.• Diseases caused by extreme cold spells such as hypothermia, bronchitisand pneumonia have been recorded in the Andes in 2003. Increase intemperature, on the other hand, also allows the migration of insectswhich becomepests for thecrops and alsocause diseasesfor the animalsand people.• Loss of livestockwhich providethem food,clothing,beddings andinsulationas well asincomes forthe handicraftsdevelopedfrom the wool ofthese animals have further made them more vulnerable to diseases andcaused their impoverishment.PART II: Impacts of Climate Change on Indigenous Peoples 17