A/RES/74/227 Sustainable mountain development Development Goals, and also notes the need to validate the related national data and improve its data accuracy and analysis at the country level for the implementation of appropriate policies aimed at restoring and protecting mountain environments; 15. Encourages Member States and all relevant stakeholders to continue to increase public awareness, including through the commemoration of International Mountain Day, on 11 December, established in its resolution 57/245, with respect to the economic benefits that mountains provide, for instance through ecosystem services or sustainable tourism, not only to highland communities but also to a large portion of the world’s population living in lowland areas; 16. Welcomes, in this regard, the contribution of sustainable tourism initiatives in mountain regions as a way to enhance environmental protection and generate socioeconomic benefits for local communities and indigenous peoples, including opportunities for productive employment, economic growth and the promotion of local culture and products; 17. Expresses its deep concern at the number and scale of natural and manmade disasters and their increasing impact in recent years, which have resulted in massive loss of life and long-term negative social, economic and environmental consequences for societies throughout the world, and recognizes that disaster risk reduction requires a broader and more people-centred preventive approach and an allof-society engagement and partnership, empowerment and inclusive, accessible and non-discriminatory participation, paying special attention to people disproportionately affected by disasters, many of which are exacerbated by climate change, especially the poorest, and also taking into account the vulnerability of people living in mountain environments, especially those in developing countries; 18. Encourages States, as appropriate, to strengthen disaster risk governance, to invest in disaster risk reduction for resilience and to develop a nd improve disaster risk strategies in mountain regions through increased generation and use of climate and disaster risk information, improved risk communication and participation of mountain communities, development of hazard risk maps and platforms, improvement of early warning systems and application of the risk -based approach in all development planning, 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; 14 19. Encourages, in this regard, the increased involvement of local authorities, as well as other relevant stakeholders, in particular the rural populatio n, 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; 20. Notes with concern that the access to services and infrastructure is lower in the highlands than in other areas, and encourages Member States to improve basic infrastructure in mountain areas towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals; 21. 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, in this regard recognizes with appreciation the establishment of relevant funds, including the Mountain Partnership Secretariat beneficiary fund, and the efforts made by relevant United Nations entities to promote the conservation of __________________ 14 6/8 Resolution 69/283, annex II. 19-22499