Mountains are among the most fragile environments on earth but, at the same time, are also rich repositories of biodiversity and ecosystem services, and the sources of much of the water that sustains life on the planet. The influence that mountain ecosystems exert on their neighbouring environments extends far beyond their geographical limits to encompass the surrounding lowlands dependent on them for goods and services. International recognition of the important role that mountain ecosystems play has received more attention since Agenda 21 was adopted at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and since then the International Year of Mountains (2002) also helped to focus attention on the need for research and development efforts directed specifically at mountain ecosystems. The objective of this meeting was to bring together global institutions involved in biodiversity conservation with regional groups familiar with the specific issues of the region. The aim was to share, network, and develop future strategies and alliances for mountain biodiversity conservation together, especially to meet the emerging challenges from climate change.