The impact of climate change on mountain regions was one of the core topics discussed at the 2019 UIAA General Assembly (GA) in Cyprus. This scope of this statement is to provide a summary of the UIAA’s longstanding commitment to the protection of the mountain environment and climate action, and its future goals.
Overview
The mountain environment occupies around 22% of the Earth’s land mass and is home to 13% of the world’s population. Mountains provide fresh water for billions of people across the planet in every continent. They are powerful and imperious. Yet at the same time incredibly and increasingly fragile. Climate change has made the weather unpredictable and is changing our landscape. It has a critical impact on the biodiversity of mountain regions, on the lives of mountain communities and ultimately on the future of the planet. The impact of climate change, notably glacial retreat, is also creating newer and greater risks for those pursing mountain activities and is a direct threat to the activities of the UIAA and its members. Ever since its foundation in 1932, the UIAA has been a keen advocate for mountain protection. Since 1969, the UIAA has elected a dedicated Mountain Protection Commission. A summary of their half century of achievements can be found here.
Commitment
Through its global projects and platforms, presence at major international conventions, influence in groundbreaking papers and treaties and position as the international climbing and mountaineering federation, the UIAA aims to encourage all mountain stakeholders, including climbers and mountaineers, to engage in concrete measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change effects.
The UIAA’s climate action goals include:
Undertaking systematic efforts to promote greater environmental responsibility;
Reducing the overall climate impact;
Educating about climate action;
Promoting sustainable and responsible consumption; and
Advocating for climate action through communication.
The UIAA has committed not only to communicate on these subjects but also to act. The federation has conducted its first annual Carbon Footprint Calculations (for 2018) and is closely monitoring the findings of this report.
The results of these Carbon Footprint Calculations will have a direct impact on the organization of the UIAA’s activities – notably travel, meetings, conferences with the scope of drastically reducing the federation’s CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the UIAA will work closely with its member associations – 87 bodies in 67 countries – to ensure these measures have a global impact. A separate article covers the UIAA Carbon Footprint Report for 2018.
Sustainability Goals
The UIAA has established a number of sustainability goals – some already achieved or in progress – and others in development. Each goal includes a Climate Action plan. The key focus of these goals are transparency, global coordination and concrete action.
The goals include:
Raising awareness about environmental issues and furthering education on mountain conservation and sustainable practice.
Supporting concrete actions taken by UIAA member associations that aim to preserve the mountain environment in its natural state.
Encouraging the adoption and respect by all of international declarations, including UIAA’s own ethical guidelines, in order to preserve mountain ecosystems and cultures.
Liaising with international organisations on access and conservation issues and providing assistance, when requested, to member federations on such issues within their own countries.
Promoting sustainable mountain region development and rewarding innovative initiatives in recreation, adventure tourism and mountain conservation.
For the UIAA to act on its own findings and recommendations.
These goals are achieved by the following commitments, partnerships and projects:
The annual UIAA Mountain Protection Award, founded in 2013, offers a platform to raise awareness about a number of climate action goals in relation to mountaineering and mountain-based sports. The global showcase includes projects in conservation of biodiversity; sustainable resource management such as energy and water; sustainable waste management and disposal; adaptation to/mitigation of effects of climate change and the protection of the environment through culture and education. From 2020, the project welcomes a new international partner, BALLY.
The Respect the Mountains initiative forms part of the UIAA’s longstanding commitment to sustainability and mountain protection. It is governed by the 7- Ways to Respect the Mountains and aims at raising awareness about sustainable environmental and socio-cultural practices; setting an example and spreading the word within the outdoor community, as well as educating the next generation of mountain explorers and empowering them to be effective sustainable future mountaineers. The project features an international calendar of mountain clean-up activities, a tool which unites similar climate action projects across the world and directly engage climbers and mountaineers in this process.
The publication of declarations on environmental issues, which date back to the early 1980s and the Kathmandu Declaration. One of the UIAA’s core declarations – the UIAA Environmental Objectives and Guidelines (1997) – which provides an environmental framework for all of UIAA’s activities, declarations and policy decisions is currently under revision to become more closely aligned with its current objectives and the latest research. It was last reviewed and edited in 2002.
Advocacy and representation at the following major international conferences on climate change, including:
UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP)
Sustainable Summits Conference (SSC)
International Symposium for Research in Protected Areas
International Federations Forum
IUCN Biodiversity Conservation Workshop
Mountain Partnership Global Meeting
Mountain Research Initiative (MRI) Scoping and Networking Workshops
Close collaboration with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other international federations on climate action. The UIAA’s Mountain Protection Award and Respect the Mountains Series have been held up as model case studies for other sport federations and associations by the IOC.
Continued partnerships with international organisations such as:
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)
Mountain Research Initiative (MRI)
Mountain Partnership
The Mountain Institute
Including Memorandums of Understandings with the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
THE UIAA ON CLIMATE CHANGE:
Frits Vrijlandt, UIAA President
“As climbers and mountaineers, the mountains of the world are our playground. It is in our interest to take care of them and to ensure that there never arrives a point from which we can’t turn back. Mountains are beautiful environments, we love spending time in them, exploring them and engaging with mountain communities. They are also the water towers for much of the world and owing to the impact of climate change, increasingly fragile. It is our duty and privilege as the UIAA to be at the forefront of both discussions and action concerning mountain protection. This is something the UIAA has done since its very beginnings. The time though has come to engage more in direct action, in supporting institutions and projects making a difference and as climbers and mountaineers to review the impact of our own activities. Furthermore, climate change, caused by factors like the aggressive retreating of glaciers, is having a direct impact on the safety of mountain activities and this is something the UIAA through its dedicated Commissions will continue to address. This is an issue which unites different areas of the UIAA’s activities and expertise.”
Dr Carolina Adler, UIAA Mountain Protection Commission President
“Addressing climate change is an important part of a broader set of actions and responsibilities that we as mountaineers and as members of the UIAA must engage in if we are to remain true to mountain protection – both as a principle and deed. Our shared convictions on climate change and mountain protection should now translate to concrete action. With a membership of some three million members worldwide, and counting, the potential for impact is there to be realized. We need to seize this opportunity while we still have time, for our generations today and our future generations to come”.
As part of its commitment to tackling climate change and reducing its own CO2 emissions, the UIAA has published its first annual Carbon Footprint Calculation.
This report, covering 2018, outlines the ongoing results of monitoring and reporting of the UIAA’s carbon footprint, which is in response to its signed commitment in early 2019 and participation under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Sports for Climate Action. As a participant in this initiative, the UIAA is required and expected to adhere to five principles these being:
Principle 1: Undertake systematic efforts to promote greater environmental responsibility; Principle 2: Reduce overall climate impact; Principle 3: Educate for climate action; Principle 4: Promote sustainable and responsible consumption; and Principle 5: Advocate for climate action through communication.
Under Principle 2: Reduce overall climate impact, the UIAA is expected to “measure and understand” its carbon footprint in order to set targets to reduce overall climate impact. Knowing how to define these targets requires first measuring and understanding how its travel and activities contribute to CO2 emissions, requiring a ‘baseline’ to compare progress over time. The initial task is to establish and report on an indicative baseline and continue to gather data to monitor how emissions trend over time. In parallel to this, the UIAA can also use this data to start seeing where and which activities create biggest impact and then suggest practical means to consider reducing this impact.
Many travel policies to reduce CO2 impact promote the principle of “avoid, reduce, compensate” (in that order). The UIAA, through the support and participation of its Mountain Protection Commission, will seek to draft such as policy as a next step in its fulfilment of the five principles set out by the UNFCCC.
“Participating under the UNFCCC Sports for Climate Action initiative has provided us with a great opportunity to truly demonstrate our commitment to see action taken on climate change, and most importantly to also enact on the declarations and aspirations that the UIAA has voiced over the years on this pressing issue of our time,” explains UIAA Mountain Protection Commission President Dr Carolina Adler. “The UIAA Mountain Protection Commission is particularly interested to see how our reporting evolves over time, and of course to support the UIAA and its members in this important learning experience and journey ahead”.
Scope
This is the first carbon footprint calculation of the UIAA. The infrastructure information was provided by the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) with whom offices are shared. Travel information was gathered through attendance sheets of various meetings. The biggest airport in the country of origin was considered as point of departure for all delegates, while the nearest and most relevant airport was considered as point of arrival for all meetings. Direct travel was assumed. Local travel, via car and/or public transportation, was not considered for the 2018 calculation, but will be in the future. All delegates and staff will be asked to submit their travel information during meetings using a survey issued by the UIAA office.
Not included in the 2018 carbon footprint calculation are indirect impacts of UIAA events and meetings, such as the origin and travel of goods and resources; electricity; heating; infrastructure; etc. The UIAA will seek to gather this data for its 2019 report.
Limitations
The accuracy and completeness of the 2018 carbon calculation is somewhat limited.
First of all, direct travel by plane was assumed for most delegates and staff, unless accurate information was available. No survey collecting clear and accurate information regarding attendance and travel to meetings was distributed and collected up until this point. The reason for this omission is to avoid inundating delegates with emails, learn from a first calculation and know exactly what to ask for in 2019.
Second of all, no local travel via car and/or public transport was considered for the 2018 calculation. The focus remained on travel by plane, as it is proven to spike CO2 emissions significantly more than any other transportation type.
Lastly, the 2018 carbon footprint calculation doesn’t effectively display the many ways additional CO2 production was avoided, limited and already minimized by the UIAA, its delegates and staff up until this point. Nonetheless, the 2018 calculation will provide a base for comparing results in the future and allow a more accurate, complete and focused edition in the coming years.
Methodology
As a first step, attendance sheets of all UIAA meetings and events were gathered. The largest “home” airport of each delegate, staff member or else was determined, considering their country of origin. The closest and most relevant airport in regard to the meeting or event locations was selected. CO2 emission calculations of all relevant travel were done for both ways, there and back. https://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx was used for all calculations.
Lastly, information regarding the office infrastructure was requested from the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) and calculations were done via the same calculator as highlighted above.
The full report, focusing primarily on travel of different groups representing the UIAA, can be downloaded here.
Main image: The 2018 UIAA General Assembly in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia was one of the events measured as part of the UIAA Carbon Footprint Report
The Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) has informed the UIAA Office that for the 2020 climbing season, it will offer a 50% discount on handling charges to encourage foreign climbers to visit the Indian Himalaya. Full details are provided in the following link. Discounts vary based on altitude of peak and number of members in the party.
As recently detailed in a UIAA news release and the Indian Mountaineering Foundation’s Apex Magazine, the government of India has declared 123 Himalayan peaks, located in Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim, open to foreigners ‘interested in obtaining a mountaineering visa for climbing and trekking purposes, in a major boost for the international mountaineering and adventure community’.
Foreign climbers and expedition organisers previously had to seek permission from the Ministries of Defence and Home Affairs in order to climb these peaks. They can now directly apply to the IMF for permits. The list includes 51 peaks in Uttarakhand, 10 peaks in Sikkim, 15 peaks in Jammu & Kashmir, and 47 peaks located in Himachal Pradesh, ranging from above 7000m to trekking peaks, in addition to the peaks already open for climbing. Full details here.
Main photo: Stock library: Mesmerizing view of Dunagiri and Elephant mountains of Garhwal Himalayas from Kuari pass hiking trail near Auli, Uttrakhand,India
The 2019 UIAA General Assembly, hosted by the Cyprus Mountaineering Climbing & Orienteering Federation, was held in Larnaca and Ayia Napa, Cyprus on Saturday 2 November. Delegates from 51 member associations and 42 countries were present.
Following opening addresses from the President of the Cyprus Olympic Committee, Mr. Dinos Michaelides, and the Sport Advisory of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Phivos Zachariades, UIAA President Frits Vrijlandt presented key points from the 2018 Annual Report (AR). The full digital version of the AR can be viewed here. Vrijlandt also introduced the final year of his Presidency. His second four-year term ends in October 2020.
UIAA General Secretary and Treasurer Peter Muir presented both the 2018 and 2019 budgets and the 2020 budget forecast. While confirming that current losses were not sustainable, Muir remarked that budgeting provisions for 2020 were encouraging.
The UIAA EB (Executive Board) and MC (Management Committee) proposed new membership fee categories (Annex 1, AoA) for smaller national federations. This was approved and will open the possibility of UIAA membership to more federations worldwide.
CMCOF President Pavlos Georgiades. Paris Andreou/CMCOF
No new applications for UIAA membership were received for GA 2019 meaning the current number of members – 87 associations from 67 countries – remains the same.
Significant time was dedicated to UIAA Executive Board and Management Committee elections. Thomas Kähr, after seven years as an EB member, stood down from his position to take over Presidency of the International Ski Mountaineering Federation. The UIAA thanked the Swiss national for the energy and dedication he has brought to the role including the past year as Vice President. Three Board positions were filled. Zoljargal Banzragch (Mongolian National Climbing Federation), Mahmood Hashemi (Iran Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Federation) and Lode Beckers (Climbing and Mountaineering Belgium) join existing EB members – Vrijlandt, Muir, Helène Denis and Yongfeng Wang.
The new EB composition is as follows:
Frits Vrijlandt, President Zoljargal Banzragch, Vice President Lode Beckers, General Secretary Peter Muir, Treasurer Helène Denis, Member Mahmood Hashemi, Member Yongfeng Wang, Member
More specific details – including Board links for Commissions – will be communicated shortly.
Two vacant Management Committee seats were filled by Simon Alden (Malta Climbing Club) and existing UIAA SafeCom President Amit Chowdhury (Indian Mountaineering Foundation).
Credit: Paris Andreou/CMCOF
A motion by the German Alpine Club (DAV) on climate change was unanimously approved. Further details can be found here. As well as fully supporting the DAV motion, the UIAA also stressed the longstanding work it has dedicated to the subject including signing MoUs with key international parties and UN bodies (UNEP and UNFCCC). The UIAA Mountain Protection Commission is also working on Sustainability Guidelines related to climate change (guidelines will include travel/event planning advice, a UIAA internal climate change policy and an assessment of an acceptable carbon footprint baseline). The UIAA was also a leading voice at COP21, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Together with experts, the UIAA proposed a ‘Declaration on Mountain Change for COP21, ensuring the vulnerability of mountains is recognised in the final Paris Accord’. It can be viewed here. The UIAA plans on releasing a dedicated news statement on Climate Change on International Mountain Day, 11 December.
Greg Moseley, Mountain Club of South Africa, presented details about the creation of a High Mountains Working Group, endorsed by the EB to focus on the issues facing the high mountains of the world. This group will continue to work with key stakeholders including member federations and local bodies to recommend policy. Please refer to recent statements published by the UIAA on Everest and Kilimanjaro.
Dr Injeong Lee (second left) was bestowed UIAA Honorary Membership. Thomas Kahr (second right), departing UIAA Vice President was also commended for his dedication to the UIAA. Credit: Paris Andreou/CMCOF
Injeong Lee, President of the UAAA and former President of the Korean Alpine Federation, was bestowed Honorary Membership. A profile of Dr Lee can be found here.
For the first time, the UIAA GA was attended by a representative of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Irina Gladkikh, IOC Associate Director Winter Sports and Recognised Sports and IF Relations, presented three topics – the Olympic Agenda 2020, Gender Equality, New Norms. Her presentations will be made available in the Members’ Portal.
Thomas Kähr’s final act as UIAA Vice President was to provide updates on the progress of the Strategic Working Group (SWG), who released the latest version of its proposals to revamp the UIAA ahead of the GA. The day before the GA, the UIAA Management Committee discussed a number of the proposals and made recommendations. Two areas of the report were voted on – and approved – during the GA. The first was the new UIAA profile which reads:
The UIAA is the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation. As the leading global network, we promote climbing and mountaineering and advocate for access to climbing areas and mountain ranges. While looking to our future, we value our heritage and care for the mountains, their fragile ecosystems, vulnerable communities and cultures. We serve the best interests of our member federations and of our worldwide community. For the mountains. For the World.
Members also agreed on the division of the following Strategic segments of the UIAA:
Mountaineering – including Access and Advocacy and Training Programmes Safety – including Research and Gear testing, UIAA Safety Label, medical advice and documentation Mountain Protection – including global Advocacy and current projects led by the Mountain Protection Commission Competition Ice Climbing – remains an important area of activity for the UIAA
The GA concluded with the traditional Gala dinner and Award ceremony. During the Ceremony, Dr Lee’s honorary membership was celebrated; Thomas Kähr was commended for his commitment to the UIAA and two member federations received Awards for celebrating significant milestones in 2019: 50 years of the Chinese Taipei Mountaineering Association (CTMA) and 150 years of the German Alpine Club (DAV). The following announcements were also made:
UIAA Mountain Protection Award
2019 UIAA Mountain Protection Award: Mike Maunsell – UIAA Mountain Protection Commission VP; Françoise Jaquet – Swiss Alpine Club President; Frits Vrijlandt – UIAA President; Irina Gladkikh – IOC Associate Director, Winter Sports and Recognised sports and IF Relations. Credit: Paris Andreou/CMCOF
AlpineLearning Project Weeks run by the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) was announced as the overall winner of the 2019 UIAA Mountain Protection Award. SAC President Françoise Jaquet collected the Award from UIAA Mountain Protection Commission Vice-President Mike Maunsell. A dedicated review of the 2019 MPA is available here.
New UIAA Mountain Protection Award Partner: Bally
1953 Everest Expedition. Copyright: Bally
Shortly after the confirmation of the 2019 UIAA Mountain Protection Award winner an exciting announcement was made regarding the future of the project. The 2020 and 2021 UIAA MPAs will be partnered by Bally, the Swiss luxury fashion brand, founded in 1851, with a pioneering heritage in climbing and mountaineering. Further details on the partnership are available here.
UIAA Rock Climbing Festival Award
Copyright: Suru Boulder Fest
Suru Boulder Fest, India, was confirmed as the winner of the 2019 UIAA Rock Climbing Festival Award (RCFA). The festival is supported by UIAA member association, Indian Mountaineering Foundation, with the latter’s Amit Chowdhury (also UIAA SafeCom President) accepting the Award on their behalf. The 2019 RCFA was only open to festivals from Asia. A full review, and details on the 2020 Award, can be found here.
UIAA and Petzl Foundation: Alpine Skills Handbook
Presentation of UIAA Alpine Skills Handbook. Credit: Paris Andreou/CMCOF
As has become tradition at the UIAA General Assembly, Stephane Lozach’ meur, Petzl Foundation Project Manager, presented the progress made regarding the UIAA Alpine Skills Handbook. The project unites Petzl Foundation, the UIAA Training Panel, the UIAA Mountaineering Commission and UIAA members worldwide. Lozach’ meur confirmed that a new chapter on Canyoning has been produced. New agreements regarding translations were signed with Federació d’Entitats Excursionistes De Catalunya (FEEC), Mountaineering Federation of North Macedonia (FPSM) and the Indonesia Sport Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (FPTI). Translation in the following languages are in progress: Albanian, Farsi, Greek, Japanese and Romanian. The following languages are currently available: English (including digital version), Chinese, French, Korean, Mongolian and Turkish. The following languages were printed for the first time in 2019: Czech and Serbian.
Other Meetings Ahead of the GA, the UIAA Executive Board, UIAA Management Committee and Commission Presidents all held meetings. A UIAA Communication workshop was presented by Communication Manager Peter Bourne.
UIAA Heritage Timeline
At every GA, the hosts find new ways of offering delegates a diverse and interesting cultural programme. As well as offering a captivating insight into Cypriot music and dance, a number of delegates also enjoyed the island’s numerous rock climbing opportunities. Pavlos Georgiades, federation President, spearheaded a project focused on the history of the UIAA. Following months of dedicated research, Georgiades created a visual graphic tracing the key moments in the federation’s history. The end result was a giant banner which was also reproduced as a tablecloth gift for all delegates. Georgiades will share the visual with the UIAA Office so the project can evolve with members invited to offer new information, pictures and any amendments. The UIAA will look into creating a digital version of the graphic and updating the visual for each GA. The UIAA thanks Georgiades for this initiative and hosts CMCOF – Cyprus Mountaineering Climbing and Orienteering Federation – for its excellent organisation of the 2019 GA.
The 2020 GA will be held in Antalya, Turkey on 24 October and hosted by TDF – Turkish Mountaineering Federation.
Further Resources: Photos from the GA can be found here.
Minutes and presentations from the GA will be distributed in due course.
Suru Boulder Fest was confirmed as the winner of the 2019 UIAA Rock Climbing Festival Award (RCFA) during the Award Ceremony held as part of the UIAA General Assembly. The festival is supported by UIAA member association, Indian Mountaineering Foundation, with the latter’s Amit Chowdhury (also UIAA SafeCom President) accepting the Award on their behalf. The 2019 RCFA was only open to festivals from Asia. The Almaty International Rock Climbing Festival and Korea’s Trad Climbing Festival, both supported by UIAA member associations, were also nominated.
The recent fourth edition of the Suru Boulder Fest (held between 25 August and 7 September) witnessed 150 climbers participating. The organisers are committed to raising awareness about rock climbing in India and in particular the area around Ladakh. Many international climbers visit the region each year and share experiences with the local community, most of whom are unable to travel and explore their passion for climbing. As a result, the festival succeeds in the development of the climbing community as well as awareness about the sport.
Anne Arran presents the 2019 UIAA Rock Climbing Festival Award. Photo: Paris Andreou/CMCOF
“Applicants this year have been varied and generally high quality,” explained Anne Arran, UIAA Rock Climbing Festival Award Panel chair. “We were happy to hear such enthusiasm from the organisers on the UIAA’s involvement in supporting climbing festivals continentally and to receive some requests for follow up action and future collaboration.”
Given the quality of all three of this year’s candidates, while Suru was confirmed as the overall winner and receives 1,500 CHF in prize money, the Panel decided to offer 500 CHF to the two other nominees. All candidates demonstrated excellent organisation and received positive feedback from attending climbers. Suru was chosen for a number of factors not least its involvement of women climbers, close relationship with local community, support for youth climbers and waste disposal programme. This year’s Award was also supported by the UAAA – Union of Asian Alpine Associations – who kindly donated to the prizemoney pool.
“Our event has been the catalyst for the rock climbing movement in India,” explained Tenzing Jamyang, Founder Suru Boulder Fest. “It’s a great place to learn and experience what the sport is actually about and also connect with the global climbing community”. Not only that the festival has enabled local people to gain a closer appreciation of the natural environment around them. “Locals are very happy with the engagement and look forward to the festival every year. One of the villagers told us they were tired of the rugged rocky landscape of the valley but since Surufest started they have realized that these things, rocks, are a blessing”. Indeed many of the participants have found a reason to join climbing gyms around their cities and now Indian climbers have a festival of their own to celebrate the outdoors and share their stories
Suru hopes to use the funds from the Award to build a climbing wall in the local high school and to foster an even greater youth engagement. They will continue to work with the UIAA. “Any assistance from UIAA will be a blessing for the festival as we grew the festival from a basic idea and have been seeking guidance to grow it in the best way possible,” closed Jamyang.
One of the cardinal elements of the festival is to expose youngsters to climbing. Youth groups who participate on the competitive climbing circuit throughout India can attend the festival for free. A number of workshops are conducted for local children, all of which will bring the local community together and improve the skill set of each individual. The festival is also run with environmental guidelines at its forefront. The festival also adheres to strict Leave No Trace (LnT) guidelines. Participants are discouraged from using plastic bottled water, camping outside of the designated campsite, littering or burning firewood. All food is sourced from the local market. Non-biodegradable waste is packed and distributed to a local waste management plant. The festival has also linked up with an organisation called Eco-Femme, which makes reusable sanitary pads. The pads are distributed during a workshop at the local girl’s school with the help of female volunteers.
During the presentation, Arran also called for more members to come forward and join the UIAA Rock Climbing Festival Award panel. To express your interest please contact: rockclimbing@theuiaa.org
Arran added: “The UIAA through its rock climbing festival award is committed to helping federations and event organisers grow interest in aspects of the sport or solve any problem presented or information required through the running of the festival that can benefit the sport in that country, for example what aspects of the UIAA’s work could they most benefit from.” Future plans also include:
Developing a UIAA Rock Climbing Festival Organisers’ platform for experience exchange and future development for participating countries
Providing assistance / resources to organisers and federations who have applied for the UIAA Rock Climbing Festival Award, on request, in their areas of need in partnership with UIAA Commissions.
Harmonisation with national federation and government objectives, tourism / youth sport / environment / economic development.
Support for countries with no federation supporting rock climbing to join the UIAA family. Connecting festivals and federations.
Increase partnerships and concept of supporting a charity or local initiatives, inviting donations and joining with others such as https://climbinginitiative.org/.
Look at raising money through participants sponsorship for charities.
Application for the 2020 Award opens in early 2020. The Award will be open to festivals from Australasia and Southeast Asia.
The 2020 and 2021 UIAA MPAs will be partnered by Bally, the Swiss luxury fashion brand, founded in 1851, with a pioneering heritage in climbing and mountaineering.
Bally Peak Outlook, Mount Everest May 2019. Copyright: Bally/Samir Jung Thapa
When Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay made history as the first climbers to set foot on the summit of Mount Everest in 1953, the latter was wearing a pair of Bally boots. Inspired by its heritage, the company’s recent Peak Outlook initiative marked a long-term commitment to preserving the world’s most extreme mountain environments. Peak Outlook began in Spring 2019 with the sponsorship of a critical clean-up expedition to the summit of the world’s highest peak. Led by Dawa Steven Sherpa and his team of experienced climbers and guides, all of whom are native to Nepal’s high Himalayas, the expedition successfully removed two tonnes of waste, helping to restore the pristine landscape between Everest Base Camp and its iconic peak.
During the 2019 UIAA General Assembly Award Ceremony, Bally presented a short film that showcased the Peak Outlook clean-up mission on Everest. The project shares many of the values and the vision of two recent MPA winners – Mount Everest Biogas Project in 2017 and Community Action Nepalin 2018.
Dawa Steven Sherpa at the summit of Mount Everest – Bally Peak Outlook, May 2019. Copyright: Bally/Samir Jung Thapa
Bally’s involvement with the UIAA and sponsorship of the Mountain Protection Award will ensure extra resources are available for future editions and further strengthen the efforts of the winning initiative.
Bally CEO, Nicolas Girotto
“Bally’s partnership with the UIAA is an important milestone in our long-term commitment to mountain preservation worldwide. Mountains play a special role in Bally’s heritage, and through the launch of our Peak Outlook initiative, we aim to leverage this connection to bring awareness to the impact of outdoor tourism on mountain environments around the world. I am proud to partner with the UIAA through the sponsorship of the Mountain Protection Award to continue our efforts together in supporting the climbing community.”
UIAA Protection Commission President, Dr Carolina Adler
“Next year marks the eighth annual running of the UIAA Mountain Protection Award. Year on year, thanks to the efforts of the UIAA Mountain Protection Commission and Award Assessment Team and the continued development and appeal of the platform, the quality of the candidates has grown immeasurably. Many of the showcased projects are organised in partnership with our member associations and all have a vision to make a lasting impact, to engage climbers and mountaineers directly in their initiatives and to offer solutions and ideas which can be adapted worldwide. We are delighted to partner with Bally to ensure the continued innovation and evolution of one of the UIAA’s core projects.”
The UIAA Mountaineering Commission (MountCom) met in Hong Kong in October 2019. The meeting, which was hosted by the China Hong Kong Mountaineering and Climbing Union (CHKMCU), was attended by 14 delegates from 11 different countries. Frederick Yu (President of CHKMCU) welcomed everyone and Shirman So gave an interesting overview of the CHKMCU, which represents 167 clubs that promote and provide training for all forms of climbing and mountaineering. Please refer to the UIAA’s recent profile of the federation. Climbers and walkers in Hong Kong raised a number of important issues that they face: climbers and instructors have difficulty obtaining personal and liability insurance, environmental issues related to lack of environmental understanding by tourists, damage from artificial footpath creation, environmental damage due to large numbers of adventure races, and hikers getting into difficulty due to inadequate planning and preparation.
Peter Farkas (MountComm President) presented the new strategic plan of the UIAA which proposes that MountCom will be integrated with the Access Commission and renamed the Climbing and Mountaineering Development Commission.
MANAGEMENT OF THE HIGH MOUNTAINS OF THE WORLD:
A working group was recently established to address concerns related to climbing the world’s highest mountains. In addition, the British Mountaineering Council and Alpine Club have prepared a statement in response to negative media coverage and subsequent proposals from the Nepal Ministry of Tourism. The statement highlights concerns surrounding workers’ rights, guiding standards, access, corruption and fraud, sustainability, and best practice. MountComm endorses this statement, and will work towards using it as the basis of a UIAA statement and how to address these concerns. See also Values & Ethics.
ISO CERTIFICATION FOR FEDERATIONS & CLUBS:
MountCom is working to provide Federations and their clubs the option to acquire ISO 21101 certification at a massively reduced cost (€1000-2000). This standard outlines the requirements of a safety management system for adventure tourism activity providers and was established by private outdoor activity companies in Europe. The standard covers guidelines, procedures and good practice for all activities that clubs and federations undertake, with a view to preventing accidents and improved understanding and management of members’ and group activities. The benefits include demonstration of professionalism and commitment to safety, lower insurance premiums, and may prove extremely valuable in legal cases. As such, it will be a valuable certificate for national federations, training bodies and larger clubs – particularly those that provide training, coaching and mentorship.
Lion Rock, Hong Kong
MOUNTAIN HUTS DIRECTORY
The Canadian Alpine Club has created an online directory and booking system for its mountain huts. MountCom is investigating how their system can be adopted to create a global booking system for mountain huts – like an AirBnB for climbers – and will be inviting federations to become part of this project.
UIAA TRAINING & MOUNTAIN QUALIFICATIONS:
The value of UIAA membership and accreditation of training schemes and qualifications was highlighted by our delegate from Cyprus. As a result the government of Cyprus now takes outdoor activities seriously and provides funding; this has contributed greatly to increased safety and participation in outdoor activities.
UIAA Accreditation of Qualifications. Following a recent inspection and meetings with the Hong Kong training committee, the Hong Kong Mountain Craft qualification has received UIAA accreditation.
Training. Additional leadership and rescue training has been provided in Ladakh and Mongolia, with the long-term aim to create qualifications that are eligible for UIAA accreditation, and personal skills training has been piloted in Kenya, Indonesia and Mongolia.
Seminars. The MountCom Annual Training Seminar, which was was held in Hong Kong for club coaches and trainers, addressed training priorities and course design for hiking, climbing and canyoning. These seminars are a useful and valuable forum for sharing and discussing best practice, skills and safety with world experts and at an international level. A further seminar is planned for Canada in 2020 that will focus on avalanche and snowsport safety. Federations interested in running their own Training Seminar are encouraged to contact Laura Samsó (FEDME).
UIAA Alpine Handbook. The second edition of the UIAA Alpine Handbook has just been completed, with a new section that covers traditional climbing and additions to alpine skills. The handbook, which has proved extremely valuable to a large number of Federations, is now available in over 10 languages, from Korean to Serbian, from Greek to Mongolian. The digital version of the handbook can now be purchased online. This is an extremely valuable and affordable resource for all outdoor leaders, instructors and participants. Further details will be provided in the UIAA General Assembly review.
Database. Development of the qualifications and training database, which will allow management of walking, climbing and mountaineering training, accreditation, courses, seminars etc. is continuing in order to provide scalability.
ETHICS AND VALUES:
The Ethics and Values Working Group (formerly TVWG – Traditional Values Working Group) is investigating the definition of climbing and mountaineering styles and associated ethics, sustainability, best practice and environmental impact. This is of value in other areas of MountCom’s work, including the Tyrol Declaration, Management of the High Mountains of the World (see above), and for the UIAA and Federations to ascertain best and acceptable practice.
With special thanks to Shirman Sho and Frederick Yu of the China Hong Kong Mountaineering and Climbing Union (CHKMCU) for hosting this meeting.
Article by Phil Wickens (BMC Representative), UIAA Mountaineering Commission
As one of the benefits of UIAA membership, member associations of the UIAA are entitled to use over a thousand mountain huts offering accommodation for 66,000 people across the entire alpine region – from Slovenia to Spain, including Picos de Europa, Sierra Nevada and the Apennine Mountains. Those eligible to benefit from reciprocity are offered the same overnight rates as members of the hut-owning associations; in some huts, these special conditions are up to 50 per cent of the regular rate.
Member associations are informed that individual stamps for the 2020 season are now available to purchase. The stamps – costing 50 euros each (2020) – are valid for one year. All UIAA-affiliated member associations are entitled to obtain individual stamps for their members from the Reciprocal Agreement Secretariat. For more information about the International Reciprocity Agreement on Mountain Huts, and to order your stamps, please email the Swiss Alpine Club: huetten@sac-cas.ch
Other mountaineering associations who are not UIAA members can submit an application to purchase individual stamps for their members to the meeting of the participating associations. The meeting decides after a response has been obtained from the national UIAA association. Individual mountaineers who are interested in the benefits of the agreement should contact their national federation.
The Reciprocal Agreement Secretariat, currently managed by the Swiss Alpine Club, has the sole right to print and issue individual stamps. The stamps will be delivered to the associations upon receipt of payment. Unused stamps may be exchanged for stamps valid the following year.
Further Background
Use of the huts is government by the International Reciprocity Agreement on Mountain Huts (also available in French, German, Italian and Spanish) which has its goal, the improvement of mountaineering through the promotion of the use of huts in the Alps and Pyrenees ranges. The agreement is based on the application to all members of the associations of the same discounted rates for use of the huts, according to each national rule.
Please note that the Alpine Club of Canada run a similar scheme across North America. Full details here.
Founded in 1984 as the Hong Kong Mountaineering Union and renamed as China Hong Kong Mountaineering & Climbing Union in 2012, after the return of Hong Kong sovereignty to China (as well as the merging of HK Sport Climbing Union to the Union), the CHKMCU serves to promote and develop the sports of climbing and hiking in a number of ways. This is achieved through a number of measures – including the creation of its established course syllabus and training qualifications, encouraging mountain safety and protection, producing mountaineering codes and guidelines and organising competitions featuring elite athletes. CHKMCU has been a UIAA full member since 1988 and recently hosted the UIAA Mountaineering Commission meeting.
The CHKMCU, at a local level is affiliated with the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee, Hong Kong, China, Hong Kong Sports Institute and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which provide some much welcome funding. While at an international level, its affiliation with the UIAA brings a number of benefits, such as enhancing the status and reputation of the Union as well as providing opportunities to exchange ideas and experiences with other members. The CHKMCU has in particular forged excellent working relationships with other members in Asia, having taken part in the Mountain Spirit programme held in both Kyrgyzstan and Chinese Taipei. A particular focus on these programmes is to promote true mountaineering spirit, and expand ties of friendship and exchange experience between young Asian climbers. The CHKMCU can now boast a total of 179 members (12 individual, 122 associate and 45 ordinary).
Lion Rock, Hong Kong
Recently, the Union has had its Mountain Craft Training Scheme accredited, which enables participants to gain qualifications ranging from a Level 1 training certificate, which requires six hours of theory and 12 hours of practical work all the way to a certified Level 3 coach, where individuals are required to plan and organise a designated project and submit a paper. There is an established syllabus for training various disciplines and the union now has 370 coaches across the disciplines of Mountain Craft, Sport Climbing, Rock Climbing, Roping and Snow & Ice Climbing. As a result, there are now 64,355 Level 1 Mountain Craft certificate holders, 22,362 Level 2 and 1,447 Level 3 Coaches. The numbers are similarly impressive across the other disciplines. There are also further plans to accredit the other disciplines.
In its mission to promote mountain safety, the
CHKMC organises the Mountain Safety Promotion Day each year, while the
importance and promotion of mountain protection is a further key element of the
Union’s mission. Co-operating with local
government bodies, a programme titled “Take your litter home” is regularly
organised to emphasise the importance of this message. At a competition sport
level, a number of sport climbing competitions are organised, both domestically
and internationally, with elite athletes competing in upwards of 20
competitions overseas every year.
The region is home both to the Hong Kong Global Geo Park, a UNESCO-listed attraction which is made up of two distinct geological regions, the Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region and the Northeast New Territories Sedimentary Rock Region, and the Lion Rock mountain which provides fantastic climbing and hiking opportunities for visitors.
Discover more about UIAA member associations here.
Main image: Recent UIAA Mountaineering Commission meeting hosted by the CHKMCU
Article produced with the support of Shirman So, CHKMCU Senior Sports Executive
Although there are still 290 days to go until the next summer Olympic Games in Tokyo take place – where 339 gold medals will be awarded – a member of the UIAA family attended his own Olympic medal ceremony on 2 October in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
UIAA Mountaineering Commission President Peter Farkas, former UIAA Vice President, received a gold medal from the Mongolian National Olympic Committee as recognition for his ‘contribution to the development of Mongolian sport’. This included his instrumental role in the bringing the Mongolian National Climbing Federation (MNCF) into the UIAA. The MNCF hosted a very popular edition of the UIAA General Assembly in October 2018.
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