Mountains are one of the victims of environmental degradation. But they have been ignored by politicians and policy makers in spite of mounting evidence that their fragile ecosystems are already in a state of crisis. In this book, for the first time, leading development and environmental authorities brought together by Mountain Agenda assess the state of the world's mountain heritage. Their global audit runs from China to Peru, from the Polish Tatra and the Scottish Highlands to the Alps and the great mountain chains of Asia, Africa and the Americas, as well as many lesser known ranges in the former Soviet Union, Japan, the Caribbean and elsewhere. Among the issues highlighted are the problems and potential of mountain economies; the importance of mountains as a vertical archipelago of refuge for biodiversity; the likely impact of global warming; the commercial forces threatening upland forests and water resources; the impact of mass tourism; and the pressures on mountain farmers from plainsmen and city dwellers colonising marginal uplands. This unique book is an essential element in a campaign to alert the public. Mountains matter not just to the 500 million people who live there, but to all of us. Wide public support and understanding are vital for positive action for sustainable development in the mountains. The State of the World's Mountains will be of special interest to all those--including geographers, development planners, mountaineers and environmentalists--who are concerned to make modern developments compatible with the conservation of an environment displaying Nature at its most inspiring and grand.