The UIAA, together with a number of international bodies including ICAR (International Commission for Mountain Rescue) and ISMM (International Society for Mountain Medicine), is supporting a conference dedicated to rescue in difficult environments. The event will be held in Genoa, Italy from 19-21 March, 2025.
The congress aims to foster innovative approaches and solutions in the field of rescue operations particularly in the face of the growing challenges posed by climate change. The forum brings together leading experts, researchers and practitioners from around the globe to share their insights in mountain, sea, and space rescue missions with a specific interest in the healthcare aspects of rescue operations.
This event provides a unique platform for interdisciplinary collaboration, where new ideas and cutting-edge technologies will be discussed to enhance our collective response capabilities in difficult environments. Additionally, the conference will delve into the specialised fields of mountain, diving, space, expedition and wilderness medicine.
Among the mountain medicine related topics are hypothermia, frostbite, hyperbaric therapy, the impact of climate change on health and high altitude and the international diploma in mountain medicine. A number of talks will be delivered by members of the UIAA Medical Commission including Luigi Festi (CAI, Italy) – one of the conference organziers – current MedCom President Urs Hefti (SAC, Switzerland) as well as its former President George Rodway (AAC, United States).
The draft programme is available here. Please note that is subject to change. Please refer to the event website for further information.
Registration for the entire event costs 300 euros and is open from 13 January. Please use the following link.
The United Nations has declared 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. Starting from 2025, March 21 is recognised as the World Day for Glaciers. And in an exciting new development, the UIAA is partnering with Lenovo for its IMD activities.
As part of its work in mountain protection and in the field of climate change, the UIAA has committed to playing an active role throughout activities in 2025. The UN-declared International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation (IYGP) provides an excellent opportunity for the UIAA to put words into action. The global initiative aims at raising awareness about the critical role of glaciers, snow and ice. Through its activities, the UIAA unquestionably has an impact and is impacted by glaciers, which it would like to honour through giving glaciers a voice throughout 2025. A dedicated working group within the UIAA Mountain Protection Commission has been created. In collaboration with UNESCO World Network of Mountain Biosphere Reserves and Mountain Partnership, the UIAA is preparing a number of engagement opportunities and member federations as well as glacier lovers are invited to join activities and celebrate IYGP jointly.
Both events (the dedicated activities in 2025 and the annual ‘World Day’) aim to raise global awareness about the critical role of glaciers, snow and ice in the climate system. They aim to draw attention to the effects of changes in the Earth’s cryosphere on sea-level rise, the hydrological cycle, geohazards, and related impacts on our economy and society. These events also aim to encourage the exchange of data, knowledge, and best practices regarding glacier preservation and adaptation strategies.
The International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation 2025 and World Day for Glaciers were proposed by Tajikistan, adopted by a UN General Assembly resolution inviting UNESCO and WMO, in cooperation with UN Member States and relevant organizations such as the WGMS, to facilitate their implementation.
During 2025, many international, but also national events will address the role of glaciers in the global system.
The UIAA’s activities officially commence on International Mountain Day 2024 with the release of the first of its 12 case studies dedicated to glacier preservation. These stories will be distributed weekly from January to March across the UIAA social media channels and focus on the plight of glaciers in different areas of the world and from the perspective of a range of individuals – photographers, mountain guides, geologists, climbers and mountaineers and glacier experts. On 21 March, a summary of these stories will be released on the UIAA website. Furthermore, a dedicated episode of the UIAA podcast Mountain Voices will focus on glaciers and feature contributions from a number of experts. This will be released in the first quarter of 2025.
The UIAA Mountain Protection Commission is further committed to publishing a Glacier Manifesto in the course of next year and will be reaching out to various stakeholders within and outside the UIAA to get involved.
“Glaciers are fundamental in the life network in all mountain regions; their invaluable ecosystem services make possible all life forms downstream. For us, glaciers represent the wild beauty of high mountains that have been an inspiration for generations; for us, glaciers are a reminder of the last glaciations that shaped all the valleys where we settle. Glaciers mean history, culture, and home. As the mountaineering and climbing community, we are in the frontline of its rapid change due to current climatic conditions. That’s why we are taking decisive action to celebrate and remember the importance of glaciers for all humankind in this International Year of Glacier’s Preservation.” Fernando Iglesias Letelier, UIAA IYGP Working Group
The UN will provide here an overview of events and activities, relevant for international and national glacier monitoring, glacier changes and related impacts:
To mark IMD 2024, the UIAA has also released its 2023 Carbon Footprint Report (its sixth since the inaugural submission in 2018) and recently published its Sustainability Charter. The UIAA believes that climbers and mountaineers can best meet their environmental responsibilities and help safeguard mountain regions and their local communities through actions that include (self) awareness, planning and implementing practical measures, advocacy, and the regular exchange of experiences. However, there are potentially numerous and diverse sustainability objectives to consider, many of which overlap. Therefore, addressing them requires simple and practical actions that serve multiple benefits and are adequately adapted to the specific context. The Sustainability Charter serves as guidance for this.
Furthermore, the UIAA’s flagship project in sustainability, the Mountain Protection Award returns for its 11th edition in 2025. The now biennial Award returns with a number of exciting new developments including the partnership with tech giants Lenovo. Further details on the 2025 MPA will be communicated in due course. Application opens on 1 March.
The State of the Mountains Report, published by the Alpine Club of Canada, is one of the most extensive and important studies on mountain protection produced by a UIAA member federation.
The Report, first produced in 2011, has been an annual release since 2018. Its stated ambition is to provide ‘information about the forces that affect Canadian mountain places, ecosystems and communities’.
The 2024 edition, available in English and in French, includes essays on the future of Canada’s ski industry in a warming climate, Indigenous cultural burning practices in Northern British Columbia, partnerships between Jasper National Park and Indigenous Nations for caribou recovery efforts, sustainable energy projects at ACC’s backcountry huts, Whitebark Pine recovery, research on life found in deep sea environments, a Canadian preview on the 2025 United Nations International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, the state of permafrost in Canadian mountains, and more.
The Report is edited by Lael Parrott, Zac Robinson and David Hik.
Previous editions of the State of the Mountains report have been nominated by the ACC for the UIAA Mountain Protection Award.
For a full archive of State of the Mountains Reports please click here.
The UIAA has published its sixth annual Carbon Footprint Report.
This report outlines the results for the calendar year 2023 of ongoing monitoring and annual reporting of the UIAA’s carbon footprint, which is in response to the UIAA’s signed commitment in early 2019 and participation under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Sports for Climate Action initiative. As a participant and signatory to this initiative, the UIAA is also expected to follow a process including signing a pledge, done in September 2022, to reach (net)-zero by 2040. As part of this process, and to maintain signatory status, annual public carbon emission reports are expected to be submitted from 2021 onwards. As a participant and signatory 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; Principle 5: Advocate for climate action through communication.
Headline Numbers
The sum of UIAA CO2 emissions generated in 2023, amounted to 240.51 tonnes, compared to 209.48 tonnes in 2022, 12.08 tonnes in 2021, 146.5 tonnes in 2020, 353.33 tonnes in 2019, and 365.56 tonnes in 2018. CO2 emissions saw a 15 % increase in 2023 compared to the previous year.
CO2 emissions saw a decrease of 34 % in 2023 compared to the baseline year 2018. The two main sources of CO2 included in this calculation are (1) the office infrastructure and (2) airplane travel of UIAA delegates and athletes to scheduled events. A detailed breakdown of these calculations is provided in the report.
Final Remarks
The sum of UIAA CO2 emissions generated in 2023 is 240.51 tonnes, compared to 209.48 tonnes in 2022, and 365.56 tonnes in 2018, the UIAA’s baseline year. However, a direct comparison of these figures does not provide for an accurate representation to compare one year to another, since the underlying conditions and factors that lead to the respective CO2 emissions generated in any given year, differ. Overall emissions over the years, with a baseline of 2018, is not directly comparable given that the number of delegates per representative group varies across the years, and so do meeting/event locations, often having a significant impact on generated emissions. The overall UIAA carbon footprint depends on the format and location of its annual meetings and events, but also on the number and origin of delegates traveling.
Far-off meeting locations generate more CO2 emissions, yet at the same time, it is centrally located meeting destinations that are attended by more representatives, thus also spiking the amount of emissions generated. Nevertheless, the resulting figures give much opportunity to further reflect on those activities that generate the most emissions, compared to all others that are part of the core operations of the UIAA as an organisation.
Many travel policies to reduce CO2 impact promote the principle of “avoid, reduce, compensate” in that order. In late 2024, the UIAA, through the support and participation of its Mountain Protection Commission and the UIAA Climate Change Task Force, has published a UIAA-internal Climate Action Plan as well as one for its member federations, in its fulfilment of the five principles set out by the UNFCCC and identified above. Further information will be published in the first quarter of 2025.
Further Reading
Download the report here.
For further information on the UIAA’s commitment to tackling climate change click here.
For an archive of all Carbon Footprint Reports 2018-2023 click here.
The UIAA – International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation – and the global technology powerhouse Lenovo have signed a two-year partnership.
“We are delighted to embark on this partnership with Lenovo, a hugely successful, dynamic and innovative company whose technology is used throughout the world. We look forward to working with Lenovo across a number of sustainability initiatives as we continue our journey in leading on climate issues related to the mountains and in particular those impacting climbing and mountaineering. Lenovo’s own commitment to tackling climate related issues is impressive and aligns with the vision of the UIAA. I would like to thank the Chinese Mountaineering Association and UIAA Executive Committee member Yongfeng Wang for their support in helping establish this partnership.” UIAA President Peter Muir
“Lenovo ishonoured to join forces with the UIAA in a partnership that stands at the intersection of technology, innovation and sustainability. At Lenovo, we have always believed in the power of technology to create a more sustainable and inclusive world. The UIAA’s dedication to safety, education, environmental protection, and the promotion of responsible mountaineering aligns perfectly with our core values. Together, we look forward to a future where our combined efforts will not only elevate the sport of climbing and mountaineering but also contribute to the greater environmental protection and the advancement of sustainable practices worldwide.” Qiao Song, Senior Vice President of Lenovo
The partnership officially commenced at the 2024 UIAA General Assembly held in Malta from 8-9 November. As part of the agreement, Lenovo will partner a number of UIAA sustainability initiatives including the 2024 Climate Change Summit (held annually at the UIAA General Assembly), 2024 International Mountain Day activities (on 11 December) and most significantly will be the exclusive partner in the field of electronic products for the UIAA Mountain Protection Award (MPA).
The MPA was launched in 2013 as the UIAA’s flagship project in sustainability. The Award platform promotes and supports projects that seek to protect mountain ecosystems and engage climbers and mountaineers in a direct and positive way. The Award platform also welcomes sustainable mountain tourism initiatives which directly support and benefit the lives of mountain communities. The MPA returns in 2025 after a hiatus in 2024 as the UIAA Mountain Protection Commission worked on restructuring the Award.
The registration portal for the 2025 MPA will open on 1 March. A number of new developments have been made during the restructuring including:
Application process: any organisation with a project combining mountain sports and a focus on sustainability and/or climate action can apply for the award.
Frequency: The Award will enter a two-year cycle from 2025 onwards, with the “off-year” focusing on community building among MPA projects.
Prize: The MPA winner will be crowned in Q4 of 2025, with an award ceremony location and date still to be defined. Information about the prize itself will be released in due course.
Lenovo products are renowned for their innovation and robustness. Throughout the past few seasons, Lenovo technology has been used flawlessly during the UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour by teams of judges, officials and media and in some of the world’s coldest environments.
Lenovo has made a significant commitment to sustainability and measuring its own impact. The company is committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, and is the first PC and smartphone maker to have net-zero targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. In parallel, Lenovo has committed “to minimize our carbon footprint, we follow a structured approach. This includes a climate and energy policy, net-zero long-term climate change strategy, and key objectives and targets to meet.”
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a US$57 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #248 in the Fortune Global 500, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver Smarter Technology for All, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest PC company with a full-stack portfolio of AI-enabled, AI-ready, and AI-optimized devices (PCs, workstations, smartphones, tablets), infrastructure (server, storage, edge, high performance computing and software defined infrastructure), software, solutions, and services. Lenovo’s continued investment in world-changing innovation is building a more equitable, trustworthy, and smarter future for everyone, everywhere. Lenovo is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange under Lenovo Group Limited (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY). To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com, and read about the latest news via our StoryHub.
About the UIAA
The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) was founded in 1932 and, as of its 2023 General Assembly, has a global presence on six continents representing 94 member associations and federations in 72 countries.
The UIAA fulfils its Mission Statement mainly through the work of its Commissions, which make recommendations, set policy and advocate on behalf of the international mountaineering community. UIAA Commissions are comprised of experts in their field.
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.
The UIAA has been recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) since 1995 as the international federation representing mountaineering and climbing.
In the State of the Cryosphere 2024 – Lost Ice, Global Damage report, over 50 leading cryosphere scientists warn of vastly higher impacts and costs to the global economy given accelerating losses in the world’s snow and ice regions. The report was released in November 2024 at the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29), hosted in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Current climate commitments, leading the world to well over 2°C of warming, would bring disastrous and irreversible consequences for billions of people from global ice loss. Based on the most recent cryosphere science updates from 2024, the authors underscore that the costs of loss and damage will be even more extreme, with many regions experiencing sea-level rise or water resource loss well beyond adaptation limits in this century if our current level of emissions continues – leading towards a rise of 3°C or more. Mitigation will also become more costly due to feedbacks from thawing permafrost emissions and loss of sea ice.
A specific chapter of the report is dedicated to Mountain Glaciers and Snow. One of its lead scientific reviewers is former UIAA Mountain Protection Commission President Carolina Adler (2016-2024). Dr Adler is an Environmental Scientist and Geographer with an international career spanning over 25 years in both research and practice in the public and private sectors. Among her many roles, she is also a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), specifically in the chapter on High Mountain Areas of the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC), adopted in September 2019, as well as the Working Group II contribution on Impacts, Vulnerability, and Adaptation and Co-Lead for the Cross-Chapter Paper on Mountains, adopted by the Panel in February 2022.
The chapter identifies the critical role of glaciers and snowpack on water resources and the impacts of climate change on their availability. Glaciers provide essential water for drinking, irrigation and hydropower, particularly in high mountain areas. Rapid glacial melting has led to a ‘peak’ in water availability, followed by declines as many glaciers continue to shrink. This, in turn, has created instability, threatening water supplies, ecosystems, and economies, particularly in vulnerable regions.
As the research charts, worst-case high-emission scenarios could lead to near-total losses of glaciers outside polar regions by 2100, exacerbating risks like flooding, droughts, and irreversible ecosystem disruption. The authors call for immediate emission reductions and adaptation efforts to preserve the remaining glaciers and snowpack. As detailed in the takeaways below, achieving the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target is critical to mitigate losses and maintain vital ecosystem services.
The chapter presents the following key takeaways:
Current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) (2.3°C by 2100): Even 2°C will lead to escalating loss and damage throughout this entire century, well beyond limits of adaptation for many mountain and downstream communities. Nearly all tropical and mid-latitude glaciers would cross thresholds causing their eventual complete loss, with critically important High Mountain Asian glaciers losing around 50% of their ice. Catastrophic hazard events seen already today, such as glacial lake outburst floods and landslides, will increase in frequency and scale. Risks are especially high in Asia, where outburst floods can wash away infrastructure and cities within hours with little warning. Severe and potentially permanent changes to the water cycle, due to loss of snowpack and ice run-off during the warm summer growing season, will impact food, energy and water security.
1.5°C Consistent Pathways: This level of mitigation is the only chance to preserve at least some minimum glacier ice (15–35%) in some mid-latitude regions, including Scandinavia, the Alps, and Iceland; and maintaining up to 50% of current ice in the Caucasus, New Zealand and much of the Andes. Losses in High Mountain Asia will be far less at this temperature level, with two-thirds preserved glacier ice. Nearby communities must nevertheless prepare for significant adaptation efforts in coming decades, including continued catastrophic floods, especially with extreme rain-on-snow events. However, for most communities, these changes will not move beyond adaptation limits, and rates of glacier melt would slow by mid-century, and stabilize by 2100. Snowpack would also stabilize, though at higher altitudes than today. Some glaciers might even begin to show signs of very slow re-growth in the 2200s, as one of the first possible visible signs of planetary restoration in net-zero pathways.
Current rise in CO₂ levels continues (3–3.5°C by 2100): Catastrophic and cascading impacts from glacier and snow loss are associated with such levels of rapid warming, with some vulnerable mountain and downstream communities experiencing non-survivable conditions already by mid-century due to loss of seasonal water availability, or destructive floods from which they are unable to recover. Over time, even many of the largest glaciers in High Mountain Asia and Alaska are unlikely to survive. Snowpack will become unreliable, with rain falling at higher elevations and more frequently throughout the year when snow would otherwise be expected. Currently fertile agricultural regions such as the Tarim and Colorado River basins may no longer be able to support significant agricultural activities. Losses in mountain biodiversity stemming from cryosphere warming will be extreme across many high-elevation ecosystems.
Furthermore the document presents the following updates specific to the picture of glaciers across the world in 2024:
2024 Updates
Glacial melt globally set a record loss in 2023, according to the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS).Reported observations thus far from 2024 indicated record losses in some regions, with Sweden showing the highest melt levels in 80 years of observations. Currently, 2024 is also on a record loss trajectory in Asia. Extremely low snowfall combined with extremely high summer temperatures seem to have contributed to high 2024 loss in these regions.
Venezuela joined Slovenia as the second country in the world to lose its final glacier: the Humboldt Glacier ice field became too small to flow under its own pressure in spring 2024, thus becoming stagnant at approximately 0.01 km.
Glaciers in the Andean tropics are now smaller than at any time in 11,700+ years. In 2024, they became the first global glacier region confirmed to be smaller than at any previous time since the end of the last Ice Age.
2024 data from 5,500 glaciers across the Andes show the mountains have lost 25% of their ice coverage since the Little Ice Age, and that their tropical glaciers are melting ten times faster than the cumulative global average.
The melt rate of the Juneau Ice Field quintupled between 2010–2020 compared with the 1980s, potentially locking in continued ice loss and centuries of consequential sea level rise.
Ten million people are currently at risk of catastrophic flooding hazard events from glacial lake outburst floods, especially in Alaska, High Mountain Asia, and Iceland. In Asia alone, the frequency of these events is expected to triple by century’s end without substantial emission reductions.
Under a high emissions scenario, two-thirds of Mount Everest’s famous East Rongbuk Glacier is projected to be lost by 2100. In addition to being an iconic part of the Asian water tower, East Rongbuk has climbing and cultural significance.
New observations from glacial meltwater in Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland, and Alaska show high levels of methane, in part from permafrost. This confirms that mountain glaciers are a methane source and underscores the importance of including permafrost thaw in NDCs.
Northern hemisphere winter 2023–2024 saw record low snowfall in the Hindu Kush Himalaya, highlighting concerns for runoff-fed rivers and water security.
Locked-in melt has committed the loss of at least one-third of glacier mass in the European Alps glaciers by 2050 without further warming. With the current warming trajectory, two-thirds of the glacier mass may be lost by 2050. In western Austria, near-complete glacial loss is projected if the lower 1.5°C Paris limit is not achieved.
Recent findings on ice retreat in the Eastern Himalaya show climate change directly links to glacier instability that drives cascading hazards.
A paper from July 2024 finds fluctuations in Peruvian Andes meltwater that are directly linked with changes in global biodiversity. This suggests mountainous aquatic biodiversity will be affected globally as glaciers retreat.
Download the full State of the Cryosphere Report 2024
This article forms the part of a series produced by the UIAA for International Mountain Day 2024.
As in recent years, a highlight at the 2024 UIAA General Assembly were the various panel sessions to celebrate and discuss ongoing projects under the umbrella of the UIAA.
Spread across three days, speakers both from within the UIAA and representing UIAA member federations took the stage to address the General Assembly and underlined important topics and work in progress across the vast fields of activities that climbing and mountaineering entail.
PechaKucha Presentations
Delegates were able to enjoy an entertaining evening in a PechaKucha format, where the following speakers covered a number of topics, using 20 seconds for 20 visual slides:
The session began with a video of the inaugural International Mountain Sports Training Course held in Bariloche, Argentina earlier in the year. Martin Lascano, UIAA Executive Committee member and representative of the Argentinian Federation of Ski and Andinism (FASA), highlighted how unique the experience was in bringing together not just the expertise of UIAA Commissions and local participants but also having Argentinian rescue teams sit together and exchange on best practices and challenges. The official film from the event is available to view here:
Mary Sanseverino, Vice-President of the UIAA Mountain Protection Commission, representing the Alpine Club of Canada, showed some of her eye-opening repeat glacier photography. Her excellent story-telling skills invited UIAA members to celebrate 2025, the UN-declared International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, and displayed how the voice of mountaineers mattered in protecting the landscapes we love and are fortunate to witness.
Juan Jesus Ibanez Martín, Vice-President of EUMA and representing the Spanish Federation of Mountain Sports and Climbing (FEDME) together with Willy Montenegro, UIAA Management Board member and continental representative for South America, shared insights into a training coursethe Spanish (FEDME) and Chilean Federations (FEACH) held together earlier in 2024. The idea of working together to develop this course was born during a previous UIAA general meeting. Their enthusiasm sparked further ideas of collaboration between two UIAA member federations.
Rob Adie, UIAA Sports Event Coordinator, introduced the 2025 ice climbing season, marking a milestone year for the sport. It promises to be the largest season since the Covid pandemic. He also highlighted the potential inclusion of ice climbing as an Olympic sport in 2030, the recent release of the documentary series On Thin Ice, and encouraged UIAA member federations to engage actively with this extraordinary discipline.
Lionel Kiener, President of the UIAA Safety Commission and representative of the Swiss Alpine Club, outlined some of the Commission’s key future developments. In recent years, the UIAA has conducted extensive research on the corrosion of rock anchors, leading to the establishment of a rigorous safety standard. The UIAA now encourages manufacturers to produce bolts that meet these stringent requirements. Recently, the UIAA also initiated a global working and exchange group that brings together bolting stakeholders from around the world to foster collaboration and innovation. Another priority for the Safety Commission is the study of textile ageing and its impact on long-term resistance. Additionally, in partnership with ENSA, the UIAA is working to make a significant portion of the Safety Commission’s resources publicly accessible through an online platform. All resources related to the UIAA’s work in rock anchors and bolting has been consolidated into a dedicated website page.
On Friday and Saturday, the regular General Assembly programme was peppered with panel sessions to change the pace from standard reporting and to give detailed insight into some truly inspiring initiatives that are currently happening in the international climbing scene.
Panel 1: UIAA Strategic Plan 2025 – 2028
The focus was specifically the UIAA’s 7 Strategic Priorities, which are:
Wider global representation
Rock climbing and hiking
Ice climbing
Safety Center of Excellence
Training and development
Climate change and sustainability guidance
Financial development
Speakers explained why we speak of strategic priorities rather than a strategic plan, how these emerged and what first implementation steps will be. Panelists further highlighted that many activities are already happening in the various fields and that the UIAA will continue building on some of its strengths. Light was further shed on relevance of the strategic priorities for national federations and lastly, what the next stepping stones would be. A more detailed report on the now accepted Strategic Plan/Priorities 2025-2028 is available here.
Panel 2: Continental Reports
Here attention turned to three cherry-picked case studies on rock climbing and hiking. For those interested in reading more news from across the various continents, a dedicated newsletter goes out quarterly and can be subscribed to from this link.
The GA panel covered the following topics:
Young Hoon Oh, UIAA Management Board member and continental representative for Asia, provided insight into a Traditional Climbing Festival held in Jeoseungbong, South Korea. He mentioned the importance of keeping trad climbing alive, even and especially in areas where sport climbing is mostly what people chose among the mountain sports. Young Hoon Oh’s conclusion: We can build on climbing communities by organising this kind of festivals that clearly indicate that sport climbing is not everything and that risk is inherent to some forms of climbing.
Josef Klenner, UIAA Management Board member and President of the European Mountaineering Association (EUMA), highlighted the concept of a new database on trails of each kind throughout the mountainous areas of Europe which is currently being established within EUMA. The work has started and proves to be a quite challenging topic for the organisation and its partner, the European Rambler Association.
Benjamin Gabriel, Executive Director at the American Alpine Club, spoke of anchors in wilderness and how land management and restrictions are becoming more and more an issue with not always easy solutions. He further commented on the trad festival in Korea, also witnessing a strong trend towards indoor climbing across the United States and the value that the American Alpine Club sees in these outdoor and grassroots events.
Panel 3: UIAA Commissions
Focus: Commission Projects and Achievements 2023 and 2024
There were two rounds of Commission panels, clustered around connective themes.
The first of the two focused on all things safety – training, mountain medicine and the work of the UIAA Safety Commission. Starting with a video highlighting the inaugural International Mountain Sports Training Course held in Bariloche, Argentina earlier in the year, Martin Lascano, UIAA Executive Committee member and representative of the Argentinian Federation of Ski and Andinism (FASA) shared details on the successful event held in collaboration between FASA, the UIAA and the International Society of Mountain Medicine (ISMM).
Panel discussion held as part of the 2024 UIAA General Assembly. L-R: Tarquin Cooper (moderator), Stephen Farrugia, Lionel Kiener, Martin Lascano. Photo credit: UIAA/Amelie Stettbacher
For a flavour of local initiatives and highlights, Stephen Farrugia of the Malta Climbing Club/Climb MT addressed his federation’s valuable collaboration with the UIAA Training Commission in establishing a Sport Single Pitch Instructor qualification in Malta. Part of the programme saw members of the local federation become more familiar with techniques and create an official module under the umbrella of their organisation.
Lastly, and connecting to the work of the Safety Commission, Stephen Farrugia spoke of aspects of bolting materials and related issues, particularly in the context of materials used in marine environments which are relevant in Malta.
Aerial view of the training course held in Malta as part of the 2024 UIAA General Assembly. Photo credit: UIAA/Simon Alden
Lionel Kiener, President of the UIAA Safety Commission, shed some light on the Commission’s plans to improve climbers’ safety, the newly established bolting/re-bolting/no bolting working group, involving bolting stakeholders from all around the world, and sustainability considerations that the Commission is exploring to possibly extend the shelf-life of textile products (more data is needed to make any recommendations at this point).
The second round of Commission panels focused on mountaineering and mountain protection, during which some key outputs where presented and engaged on. Notably the recently published UIAA Sustainability Charter and the UIAA’s two climate action plans – an internal one and one for UIAA member federations. The latter served as a key resource for this year’s Climate Change Summit and was workshopped together with delegates at the General Assembly. Paul Kwakkenbos and Mary Sanseverino, President and Vice President of the UIAA Mountain Protection Commission respectively, spoke of the Charter’s highlights and noted on further engagement opportunities to come in 2025.
Panel discussion held as part of the 2024 UIAA General Assembly. L-R, Greg Moseley, Victor Saunders. Photo credit: UIAA/Peter Bourne
Another key motion approved by the General Assembly was the new UIAA Declaration on Style and Ethics for Climbers, Mountaineers and Hikers. The official title of the document is to be confirmed. It will be released shortly. Greg Moseley and Victor Saunders, President and Vice President of the UIAA Mountaineering Commission respectively, shared some personal examples of how such a declaration comes to life, in that its principles can actually guide our climbs and endevours wherever one decides to engage in mountain activities.
Mary Sanseverino ended the panel in raising awareness about 2025 being declared the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation by the United Nations and listed a number of engagement opportunities the UIAA has planned to celebrate glaciers throughout next year. More information on how to get involved will be shared by the UIAA on International Mountain Day 11 December.
Envirolapse Opportunity
After the final panel session, and in light of International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, an exciting partnership opportunity – exclusively for member federations – was presented by Envirolapse. From glaciers to mountain peaks, Envirolapse specialises in remote access monitoring systems that provide critical data for safety, operations, conservation, and climate resilience. UIAA member federations are invited to submit their expression of interest of using a remote access camera, with details on location, and intended use. To do so, please scan the QR code at the end of the video below or click this link and fill out the form by 31 January, 2025.
All project submissions will be reviewed by Envirolapse and the UIAA to pinpoint the application that best aligns with goals and values.
If a suitable project is identified in a location that is logistically easily accessible for Envirolapse, the team will provide an Envirolapse camera for a 12-month period at no cost to any parties. For more ambitious or remote projects with a strong alignment to our shared goals, Envirolapse is open to exploring collaborative funding options to address logistical challenges, ensuring we maximise our impact.
This gesture will support UIAA member federations and offer valuable visual data to the selected federation’s project. For more information about this opportunity, please contact mountainprotection@theuiaa.org
For following advisory is courtesy of UIAA Safety Label Holder, Black Diamond.
PIEPS GmbH announces a voluntary recall for the PIEPS PRO IPS Avalanche Transceiver
For North America (USA, Canada, etc.) visit here
For Switzerland visit here here
For Europe and the rest of the world read the following below
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The PIEPS brand has stood for innovation in snow safety since 1967. The safety of our partners, community and customers is a top priority at PIEPS. We are voluntarily recalling the PIEPS PRO IPS avalanche transceiver due to a potential loss of contact in the battery compartment. PIEPS is offering to rework the affected device and return it to customers within seven business days of receiving it.
In November 2024, we became aware of one reported case in North America where the PIEPS PRO IPS avalanche transceiver did not turn on. Our investigations concluded that this is due to a potential loss of contact in the battery compartment if used with AAA (LR03) batteries produced at the lower end of allowable dimensions. In such a case, the device may not turn on, or if it does, it may inadvertently turn off if it is impacted or jarred.
Consumers who own the PIEPS PRO IPS should immediately stop using it and follow the recall procedures. To date, the company has received only a single report from a consumer, with no injuries or fatalities associated with this issue. PIEPS is committed to addressing this matter swiftly and proactively.
For the full release, details on affected devices, returning products, and further information click here.
For a full list of climbing equipment recalls and warnings communicated to the UIAA click here.
The 2024 UIAA General Assembly was held from 8-9 November in Malta and expertly hosted by ClimbMT.
Over 110 delegates from 50 countries attended the event. Among the guests were UIAA Honorary Member and former President Frits Vrijlandt, IFSC President Marco Scolaris and Julian Pace Bonello, President of the Maltese Olympic Committee.
Below are links to key assets and reports from the 2024 UIAA GA.
Among the headlines from the GA: the re-election of Peter Muir as UIAA President, the re-election for two Executive Committee members (Amit Chowdhury and Martin Lascano) as well as the election of two new members (Yolanda de Both and Saray Khumalo), the hosting of the 3rd Climate Change Summit, panel discussions (dedicated to rock climbing and hiking, the UIAA Strategy as well as Commission projects), the approval of the UIAA Strategic Priorities 2025-2028 and the creation of an Operating Unit (‘World Ice Climbing’) for competition ice climbing.
In addition to the GA, the autumn UIAA Management Board meeting was held as well as meetings for the Mountaineering, Mountain Protection and Youth Commissions. Two days of courses in collaboration between the UIAA Training Commission and ClimbMT were staged after the GA.
