Mountain areas host both sprawling cities and rural settlements, providing a home for about 15 per cent of the global population. Linked to global supply chains and as a consequence of population growth, overconsumption and tourism, the generation of waste – especially plastic waste – is surging across mountains. This endangers freshwater resources and biodiversity and in turn poses serious risks for downstream regions.

This brief presents the scale of the problem and provides recommendations for relevant stakeholders to consider.

Tags: mountains Mountain waste plastic pollution plastic waste