Mountains, covering about 27% of the Earth’s land surface, are home to half of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and serve as the “water towers” and lifelines for billions of people in the Asia-Pacific region.

The below article by Prof. Yang JIANCHU, Dean, Institution of ‘Two Mountains’ Theory at Huzhou University (Huzhou, China); is dedicated to the International Day of Mountains #MountainsMatter #IMD2025 | Written for the LMGlobal.Org

The United Nations General Assembly designated 11 December “International Mountain Day”. As of 2003, it has been observed every year to create awareness about the importance of mountains to life, to highlight the opportunities and constraints in mountain development and to build alliances that will bring positive change to mountain peoples and environments around the world.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is the coordinating agency for the preparation and animation of this celebration and is mandated to lead observance of it at the global level. The Mountain Partnership Secretariat in the FAO Forestry Division is responsible for coordinating this international process. Source: https://www.fao.org/international-mountain-day/en/

Asia-Pacific Ecological Alliance

[LMGlobal.Org] In 2002, the United Nations General Assembly designated December 11th of each year as International Mountain Day, aiming to raise international awareness about the importance of these fragile yet critical ecosystems. More than two decades have passed. While global understanding of mountain regions has deepened, the challenges they face have intensified. The theme for International Mountain Day 2025, “Mountains: Hotspots of Biodiversity,” reminds us that mountains, covering about 27% of the Earth’s land surface, are home to half of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and serve as the “water towers” and lifelines for billions of people in the Asia-Pacific region.

I. Asia-Pacific Mountains: Treasuries of Biodiversity and Key to Sustainable Development

The Asia-Pacific region harbors one of the world’s most concentrated collections of mountain systems. From the majestic Himalayas and Hindu Kush ranges to the sprawling Japanese Alps (also known as the Hida Mountains, located in central Honshu, Japan), from the lush tropical rainforest hills of Southeast Asia to the grand glaciers of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, the mountains of this region form some of the planet’s most spectacular and complex ecological gradients. They are not only the last refuges for countless endemic and endangered species, such as the snow leopard, red panda, Sumatran tiger, and Japanese macaque, but also the headwaters of major global river systems like the Yangtze, Ganges, Mekong, and Indus.

Their [Mountains] protection is no longer a regional issue but an urgent matter concerning the entire Asia-Pacific region and the world.

However, these “biodiversity hotspots” are under unprecedented pressure. Climate change is accelerating glacier melt, altering precipitation patterns, and increasing the frequency of extreme weather events. Unregulated infrastructure development, deforestation, overgrazing, and mining activities are degrading the mountain landscape. While rapid tourism development brings economic benefits, it also tests ecological carrying capacities. The health of mountain ecosystems directly impacts the ecological security, food security, and water security of downstream plains and coastal areas. Their protection is no longer a regional issue but an urgent matter concerning the entire Asia-Pacific region and the world.

II. Japan’s ‘Mountain Conservation’ Philosophy and Refined Governance

As a developed economy in the Asia-Pacific region, with approximately 75% of its land consisting of mountains and hills, Japan’s long-term experience in mountain governance, particularly its refined policies and public participation models, offers valuable insights. Japan’s mountain conservation policy system deeply embodies the concept of a “community of life integrating mountains, waters, forests, farmland, lakes, and grassland,” a concept originally articulated in China, yet one with which Japan’s practices strongly align.

* Legislation First, Comprehensive System: Japan has established a robust legal framework for mountain conservation, centered around laws such as the Forestry Law and the Natural Environment Conservation Act. Notably, the Forestry Law emphasizes not only timber production but also prioritizes the public benefit functions of forests, including soil and water conservation, water source protection, and biodiversity preservation, guiding systematic planning for national forest management.

* Integrated “Mountain Management” and “Water Management”: Japan treats mountain management and river management as inseparable. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism collaborates with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. By constructing check dams, undertaking afforestation, and building protective structures in upstream mountain areas, they work to reduce sediment flow and flood peaks at the source, thereby safeguarding midstream and downstream regions. This “integrated watershed management” model represents Japan’s accumulated wisdom in dealing with frequent geological hazards.

* Public Participation and Forest Culture: Japan actively promotes “forest therapy” and “ecotourism,” encouraging citizens to engage with mountain forests and understand their ecological value. Meanwhile, initiatives like “volunteer tree planting” and “corporate participation in forest conservation” are widespread, with many companies and social groups involved in forest maintenance through adoption and funding. This approach of integrating conservation awareness into national education and culture ensures the sustainability of policies.

* Technology-Enabled Precision Monitoring: Japan utilizes high-resolution satellite remote sensing, drones, and ground sensor networks to create an all-weather, multi-dimensional monitoring system for mountain ecosystems, particularly in hazard-prone areas. This system enables real-time monitoring of forest health, land surface displacement, and precipitation, providing a solid foundation for scientific decision-making and disaster early warning.

Japan’s experience demonstrates that successful mountain conservation relies on rigorous legislation, inter-departmental coordination, deeply ingrained public education, and the comprehensive application of modern technology.

III. China’s ‘Two Mountains’ Practice: An Asian Pathway for Ecological-Economic Synergy

In contrast to Japan’s refined, technology-driven model, China has proposed the philosophically profound and development-oriented concept that “lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets” and has conducted extensive practical explorations in its vast mountainous areas. The “Two Mountains” theory reconciles the perceived conflict between conservation and development by creating mechanisms that transform a sound ecological environment into economic value.

* Ecological Industrialization: Developing green, high-value-added industries based on high-quality mountain environments. Anji County in Zhejiang Province, once a heavily polluted area reliant on mining and papermaking, completely shut down polluting enterprises and transitioned to developing deep processing of bamboo products, white tea industry, and rural tourism. This achieved a remarkable turnaround from “selling stones” to “selling scenery,” making Anji the birthplace and a successful example of the “Two Mountains” concept.

* Industrial Ecologicalization: Greening traditional industries. In southwestern mountainous regions, developing understory economies promotes the circular use of land resources while protecting the forest canopy. Areas like Guizhou leverage their cool mountain climates to develop green technology industries like big data centers, avoiding the traditional development path of high pollution and energy consumption.

* Eco-Compensation Mechanisms: China has established vertical and horizontal ecological compensation mechanisms. Mountainous areas located upstream, which restrict development to protect water sources, receive compensation or industrial cooperation support from downstream beneficiary regions. With the advancement of carbon peak and neutrality goals, forest carbon sink trading is emerging as a new market for monetizing “lucid waters and lush mountains.” Income is generated by trading carbon credits from afforestation and forest management in national markets.

Environmental protection is not a burden on development but the foundation for achieving higher-quality, more sustainable growth.

* Establishment of the National Park System: Centered on national parks like Sanjiangyuan, Giant Panda, and Northeast China Tiger and Leopard, China is building a unified system of protected areas. This system strengthens the protection of key mountain ecosystems and flagship species through integrated management and systematic restoration of previously fragmented reserves, serving as the staunchest guardian of “lucid waters and lush mountains.”

China’s “Two Mountains” practice offers a highly relevant model for developing countries, especially those in the Asia-Pacific facing significant development pressures, demonstrating that environmental protection is not a burden on development but the foundation for achieving higher-quality, more sustainable growth.

IV. Towards a Shared Future for Asia-Pacific Mountain Conservation

The experiences of Japan and the practices of China, while following different paths, share a common core: they view mountains as a community of life and seek a balance between ecological conservation and human well-being through institutional innovation and multi-stakeholder participation.

* Build an “Asia-Pacific Mountain Conservation Network“: Facilitate the sharing of data, technology, and best practices in mountain monitoring, disaster warning, biodiversity conservation, and community participation among regional countries.

* Promote Cross-Border Ecological Cooperation: Develop joint conservation strategies for transboundary mountain regions like the Himalayas and Hindu Kush-Himalaya region and Mainland Southeast Asia to address cross-border challenges like climate change.

* Innovate Green Financing Mechanisms: Explore establishing regional ecological compensation mechanisms and green investment and financing platforms to provide funding for conservation actions and sustainable development projects in mountainous countries.

Mountains are the backbone of Asia-Pacific, the source of civilizations, and our shared future. Only by integrating mountain conservation into the very fabric of development can we ensure that these magnificent hotspots, spanning heaven and earth, forever thrive and benefit generations to come.

_ . _

ABOUT THE ASIA-PACIFIC ECOLOGICAL ALLIANCE:
Asia Pacific Ecological Alliance is a general incorporated association established in Tokyo, Japan, initiated by Song Ma, Yasuhiro Suzuki, and Masao Tamae. Its purpose is to utilize science and technology to improve the ecological environment and promote human health.
The Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Ecological Alliance is Song Ma, and the Vice Chairperson & Secretary-General is Jianchu Yang.
The office is located at Komatsu Ueno Building, 2-11-14 Kita-Ueno, Taito-ku, Tokyo .

– Updated with the “About” section on December 13, 2025.

International Day of Mountain (11 December) https://www.fao.org/international-mountain-day/en/

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