Chapter 13 of Agenda 21, the plan for action endorsed by most of the world's leaders at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, is entitled 'Managing Fragile Ecosystems: Sustainable Mountain Development'.
In 1997, Martin Price prepared a review of the implementation of this chapter for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Task Manager for Chapter 13.
This was probably the first review of the implementation of any chapter of Agenda 21, and concluded with recommendations for further action, particularly in relation to the global work programme for sustainable development proposed by the UN General Assembly Special Session in June 1997.
Subsequent contributions to the development of the ongoing global agenda on sustainable mountain development have included acting as lead editor on a series of reports on 'Mountains of the World' presented to successive meetings of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.
These have been prepared through 'Mountain Agenda' with colleagues at the Centre for Development and Environment at the University of Berne, Switzerland:
- 1997: Challenges for the 21st century
- 1999: Tourism and Sustainable Mountain Development
- 2000: Mountain Forests and Sustainable Development
- 2001: Energy and Transport in Mountain Regions
- 2002: Policies and Instruments