A/RES/66/205 24. Notes that funding for sustainable mountain development has become increasingly important, especially in view of the greater recognition of the global importance of mountains and the high levels of extreme poverty, food insecurity and hardship that mountain communities face, and, in this respect, invites Governments, the United Nations system, the international financial institutions, the Global Environment Facility, all relevant United Nations conventions and their funding mechanisms, within their respective mandates, and all relevant stakeholders from civil society and the private sector to consider providing support, including through voluntary financial contributions, to local, national and international programmes and projects for sustainable development in mountain regions, particularly in developing countries; 25. Underlines the need to explore a wide range of funding sources, such as public-private partnerships, increased opportunities for microfinance, including microcredit and microinsurance, small housing loans, savings, education and health accounts, and support for entrepreneurs seeking to develop small and medium-sized businesses and, where appropriate, on a case-by-case basis, debt for sustainable development swaps; 26. Encourages the further development of sustainable agricultural value chains and the improvement of access to and participation in markets for mountain farmers and agro-industry enterprises, with a view to substantially increasing the income of farmers, in particular smallholders and family farmers; 27. Welcomes the growing contribution of sustainable tourism initiatives in mountain regions as a way to enhance environmental protection and socio-economic benefits to local communities, and the fact that consumer demand is increasingly moving towards responsible and sustainable tourism; 28. Notes that public awareness needs to be raised with respect to the positive and unaccounted economic benefits that mountains provide not only to highland communities, but also to a large portion of the world’s population living in lowland areas, and underlines the importance of enhancing the sustainability of ecosystems that provide essential resources and services for human well-being and economic activity and of developing innovative means of financing for their protection; 29. Recognizes that mountain ranges are usually shared among several countries, and in this context encourages transboundary cooperation approaches where the States concerned agree to the sustainable development of mountain ranges and information-sharing in this regard; 30. Notes with appreciation, in this context, the Convention on the Protection of the Alps 9 which promotes constructive new approaches to the integrated, sustainable development of the Alps, including through its thematic protocols on spatial planning, mountain farming, conservation of nature and landscape, mountain forests, tourism, soil protection, energy and transport, as well as the Declaration on Population and Culture, 10 the Action Plan on Climate Change in the Alps, 11 cooperation with other convention bodies on relevant subjects and activities in the context of the Mountain Partnership; _______________ 9 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1917, No. 32724. Available from www.alpconv.org/theconvention/index_en. 11 Available from www.alpconv.org/climate/index_en. 10 5