Cradle of Life

Shaped by the forces of nature, the earth carves endless sculptures like artwork – caves, mountains, canyons and more. These mountains act as global water towers, home to glaciers, snowcaps and lakes that provide 60% of the world’s freshwater.

In the Arabian Peninsula, mountains form a rugged crescent around the deserts, forming rich, unique ecosystems thanks to their cooler climates – oases in the sky. In Southern Oman, for example, the fog-bathed Dhofar Mountains support green deciduous woodlands amidst surrounding lowland desert areas. However, mountain communities and ecosystems face rising danger. Risks include urbanisation, extreme weather and the climate crisis, melting global mountain ice, destabilising slopes and jeopardising freshwater supply.

Nevertheless, mountains also harbour solutions; the Arabian Peninsula’s biodiversity and crops emerge as a paragon of resilience, offering critical genetic answers to survive a warming world. On this World Mountain Day, we invite you to trace the slopes and dips that grace your local landscapes, where you can witness Earth’s art in action.

This award-winning photograph was shortlisted in the Planet Category of the COP28 Photography Competition, a collaboration between The Climate Tribe and the Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Rashid al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA). The Climate Tribe has partnered with HIPA to leverage the power of photography to inspire global awareness of sustainability and advance climate action.