Human settlements and disaster risk reduction

Last update:11 April 2025

About 1.1 billion people, 14% of the world’s population, live in mountain regions. Rapid and unplanned urbanization in these regions’ places pressure on fragile mountain ecosystems, affecting water availability, quality and security.

For most of history, living in Ladakh has meant living with the harshness of the Himalayan climate, where intense cold and intractable mountains have always been barriers to fast-paced development. People have learned to live with the meagre resources available in the harsh highlands.

Impact of unplanned urbanization on mountain regions

Despite the challenges associated with difficult terrain and fragile ecosystems, the population in mountain regions has been steadily growing. Urbanization significantly alters the hydrological cycle, affecting the volume and quality of surface water. Steep slopes, altered natural water drainage patterns and paved surfaces decrease groundwater recharge and increase runoff, resulting in flash floods and soil erosion. For example, the Himalayan region in South Asia is densely populated and has experienced rapid urban growth in recent decades. Undoubtedly, urbanization in the region has created jobs and improved infrastructure, but it has also caused significant environmental and socio-economic issues. Deforestation, biodiversity loss and the likelihood of natural hazards such as floods and landslides occurring have been increasing. These can damage the water supply and sanitation infrastructure and disrupt access to WASH services. Inevitably, these events have a huge toll on the mental health of the local communities.

Addressing these challenges requires nature-based solutions (NbS) and investment in climate-resilient infrastructure to ensure sustainable development and resilience. Soil management and reforestation efforts reflect the intent to stabilize slopes and increase the infiltration of melting snow and rainwater, boosting groundwater recharge and reducing the risk of flash floods. Integrating climate change efforts and informed urban planning decisions is crucial to minimizing vulnerabilities, including for water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) provision. A review of countries’ N and submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change prior to June 2024 suggests WASH and disaster management are priority sectors in mountainous developing countries.

US$187

billion per year

is the adaptation finance needs for mountainous developing countries

US$13.8

billion was the available

international public adaptation finance flow in 2022

Indigenous knowledge: Building mountain resilience

Communities in mountain regions have depended on indigenous knowledge to build resilience to water and sanitation related challenges. Progress in civil engineering has aided the application of such knowledge, with the opportunity to build modular systems such as reservoirs and tanks for water storage. The use of community-based adaptation strategies – particularly involving the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ voices – empowers local communities to participate in water management decisions and incorporate local and traditional knowledge in designing and implementing solutions tailored to their needs.

A woman holds a Queñual shrub during reforestation work in the Quelccanca community.

Action example

Empowering communities in Lao People’s Democratic Republic

In the mountatin region of Xieng Ngeun, Luang Prabang, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, 85% of households had no access to basic sanitation facilities, and the infrastructure was inoperative due to neglect. Villagers often had to walk long distances to collect water.

To address the challenges, which were typical of most mountain areas (e.g. steep slopes, remoteness and a sparse population density), t implemented a community-based water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) pilot project targeting 1,221 households across six villages. A key component of the initiative was developing a gravity-fed piped water system, which leveraged the local topography to deliver water efficiently without the need for energy-intensive pumping systems. This approach successfully provided connections for over 90% of households in the target villages to the water supply network, up from 0%.

Community involvement was emphasized, with residents trained to protect and maintain the water supply infrastructure. The project also addressed several enduring challenges. For example, the absence of a formal drainage system was a significant issue for residents in low-lying areas prone to flooding.

With over 80% of households now connected to the water supply network and over 90% having access to basic sanitation, the Xieng Ngeun pilot project demonstrates the potential of community-based approaches in overcoming the unique challenges of water service provision in mountain regions.