Greetings, MCSA member
In this bulletin:
1. CONTRIBUTIONS FOR 2019 JOURNAL
This is the last call for contributions for the 2019 Journal. Please see the JOURNAL GUIDELINES on the national website or ask the editor to send you a copy.
Reminder:
Do not send PDFs: articles in MS Word, unformatted; photographs as .jpg/tif and not embedded in an article.
MCSA conventions: inter alia: reference works: The South African Concise Oxford Dictionary or other recent Oxford Dictionary.
2. UIAA
2.1 GENERAL
The UIAA continues to develop its services for members and will be improving its web page to offer federations the opportunity to exchange more details about climbing and mountaineering in their own countries. A Donate page will also be available to members who wish to showcase initiatives and causes they are supporting. Both projects will be rolled out during the first quarter of 2019. Members are therefore reminded of many existing resources, and some new ones, provided by the UIAA.
Members are encouraged to go to the UIAA web site www.theuiaa.org/ to find out more about the UIAA‘s important activities.
2.2 ALPINISM GETS RECOGNITION FROM UNESCO
Alpinism – and by extension, all mountain climbing – has now been recognised by UNESCO as an “intangible cultural heritage of humanity”. This is seen as a major step forward for climbing and will undoubtedly provide leverage in relations with government and other statutory bodies.
The basis behind this recognition – the result of several years of behind-the-scenes work is that:
Alpinism is recognized by the UNESCO as the art :
- of climbing mountain summits and faces by one’s own physical, technical and intellectual strengths;
- of challenging one’s own capabilities and expertise while negotiating natural, non-artificial obstacles;
- of evaluating and assuming measured risks;
- of self-managing, self-responsibility and solidarity; and
- of respecting other people and natural sites.
More on this can be seen on the UIAA website at www.theuiaa.org
2.3 UIAA AND CLIMATE CHANGE
The impact of climate change on mountain regions was one of the core topics discussed at the 2019 UIAA General Assembly (GA) in Cyprus. This scope of this discussion was to provide a summary of the UIAA’s longstanding commitment to the protection of the mountain environment and climate action, and its future goals.
The mountain environment occupies around 22% of the Earth’s land mass and is home to 13% of the world’s population. Mountains provide fresh water for billions of people across the planet in every continent. They are powerful and imperious. Yet at the same time incredibly and increasingly fragile. Climate change has made the weather unpredictable and is changing our landscape. It has a critical impact on the biodiversity of mountain regions, on the lives of mountain communities and ultimately on the future of the planet. The impact of climate change, notably glacial retreat, is also creating newer and greater risks for those pursing mountain activities and is a direct threat to the activities of the UIAA and its members. Ever since its foundation in 1932, the UIAA has been a keen advocate for mountain protection.
More on this important subject at www.theuiaa.org
2.4 UIAA PUBLISHES 2018 CARBON FOOTPRINT CALCULATION
As a corollary to the climate change initiative, the UIAA has published its first annual Carbon Footprint Calculation. This report, covering 2018, outlines the ongoing results of monitoring and reporting of the UIAA’s carbon footprint, which is in response to its signed commitment in early 2019 and participation under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Sports for Climate Action. As a participant in this initiative, the UIAA is required and expected to adhere to five principles these being:
Principle 1: Undertake systematic efforts to promote greater environmental responsibility;
Principle 2: Reduce overall climate impact;
Principle 3: Educate for climate action;
Principle 4: Promote sustainable and responsible consumption; and
Principle 5: Advocate for climate action through communication.
2.5 2019 UIAA MOUNTAIN PROTECTION AWARD (2)
One of the innovations to feature as part of the 2019 UIAA Mountain Protection Award is the Community Award. This initiative provides the opportunity for the general public to recognise the projects they feel most deserving of support.
The MCSA Outreach Programmes should be entering this category! Your President will be leaning on the leaders of our outreach programmes to put together an entry for 2020. Check out the UIAA web page on this one www.theuiaa.org.
2.6 FROM SEA TO SUMMIT: NEW GROUP LAUNCHED TO PROTECT MOUNTAINS
To mark the International Mountain Day, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced the launch of the Mountain Summit – a group of sports organisations concerned with the current state of the world’s mountains and committed to protecting them.
The group currently includes 11 members (including the UIAA) – organisations engaged in sports that are practised in or around mountains. Their aim is to assess and minimise the negative impact of sports activities on mountain environments, and leverage the power of sport to raise awareness about the importance of these environments. More on this at: www.theuiaa.org
5. FACEBOOK AND WEB PAGES
5.1 National: abbreviated link for the national MCSA Facebook page: www.facebook.com/MCSA125/
5.2 Links for all the sections’ web pages are on the MCSA national webpage.
4. NEWSWORTHY ITEMS
Please send any newsworthy items for inclusion in MCSA National News Editor, Ineke Moseley at: inekemos@zsd.co.za
QUOTABLE QUOTES:
“Those piton spikes you use have shortened the life expectancy of the Totem Pole by 50 thousand years” – Navajo man to rock climber
“explore – discover – connect – protect”
“verken – ontdek – ontmoet – bewaar”
“phonononga – fumanisa – qhagamshela – khusela”
