Sustainable mountain development A/RES/71/234 strategies in mountain regions, including a forward-looking perspective, in order to cope with such extreme events as rockfalls, avalanches, glacial lake outburst floods and landslides, which can be exacerbated by climate change and deforestation, consistent with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030; 9 13. Encourages, in this regard, the increased involvement of local authorities, as well as other relevant stakeholders, in particular the rural population, indigenous peoples, civil society and the private sector, in the development and implementation of programmes, land-use planning and land tenure arrangements, and in other relevant activities related to sustainable development in mountains; 14. Notes the importance of ensuring the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for human well-being, economic activity and sustainable development, and of developing innovative means of implementation for their protection, recognizes in this regard the launching of the Mountain Facility of the Mountain Partnership, and encourages States and other relevant stakeholders to financially support it on a voluntary basis; 15. Encourages greater efforts by States, all stakeholders and the international community towards the conservation of mountain ecosystems and the enhancement of the well-being of their local populations, including by promoting investment in infrastructure in mountain areas, such as transport and information and communication technologies, and supporting education, extension and capacitybuilding programmes, especially among local mountain communities and other relevant stakeholders, taking into account the extent of the current challenges they face and bearing in mind the increased economic, social and environmental costs that inaction might represent for countries and societies; 16. Underlines the fact that action at the national level is a key factor in achieving progress in sustainable mountain development, welcomes its steady increase in recent years with a multitude of events, activities and initiatives, and invites the international community to support the efforts of developing countries to develop and implement strategies and programmes, including, where required, enabling policies and laws for the sustainable development of mountains, within the framework of national sustainable development plans, including by building and strengthening institutional capacities, as appropriate; 17. Encourages the further undertaking of multi-stakeholder and transboundary initiatives at the national, regional and global levels, where appropriate, such as those supported by all relevant international and regional organizations, to enhance sustainable development in mountain regions, and notes in this regard the numerous initiatives undertaken, including the second World Mountain Forum, held in Cusco, Peru, in May 2014, the third World Mountain Forum, held in Mbale, Uganda, in October 2016, the Mountain Partnership Event on nutrition and mountain products held in Turin, Italy, in September 2016, and the United Nations Environment Programme-led project entitled “Climate change action in developing countries with fragile mountainous ecosystems from a subregional perspective”; _______________ 9 Resolution 69/283, annex II. 5/6