GEO Mountains Workshop: Interdisciplinary Monitoring, Data & Capacity Sharing across the Andes

Abstract

The workshop was the final event of a series of regional engagements undertaken in 2023-–24 by the Mountain Research Initiative (MRI) in its role co-leading the Global Network on Observation and Information in Mountain Environments (GEO Mountains) under the Adaptation at Altitude programme (A@A). The workshop for the region took place from Tuesday 20 to Thursday 22 February 2024, and was co-convened by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), the Consorcio para el Desarrollo Sostenible de la Ecorregión Andina (CONDESAN), the Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales (IDEAM), the Humboldt Institute, AmeriGEO, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The workshop was held at the Movich Hotel in Bogotá, Colombia. It sought to bring together data providers and data users from a range of disciplines working across the Andes. More specifically, through a series of invited presentations and group discussion activities, the workshop sought to:

• Identify examples of good practices, challenges, and solutions / opportunities regarding mountain monitoring, data exchange, and capacity sharing; • Enhance the sharing of data, capacities, and training resources between monitoring authorities (e.g. National Hydrological and Meteorological Services; NHMSs) and researchers, as well as identify opportunities for students / Early Career Researchers (ECRs) to (further) engage in mountain monitoring; • Explore opportunities to enhance the thematic scope of existing monitoring efforts; and • Propose future projects with the potential for high scientific, practical, and/or policy impact which could be conducted collaboratively by some of the workshop participants going forwards.

Researchers, representatives of national environmental monitoring agencies, and other local institutions attended the workshop. In total, 69 participants attended the workshop, of whom 40 attended in person and 29 online. Participants came from across the region, including Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. In addition, researchers working in the region or in a co-convening role from the USA, Switzerland, and Romania were in attendance. For the full list of in-person attendees, please see Annex 2.

This report presents the workshop proceedings and summarises the key points, outcomes, and recommendations that arose from the discussions.