According to the latest report produced jointly by FAO and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, mountain forests have a great influence on the quantity and quality of water supplies. About 60 per cent of the world’s freshwater resources come from mountains, even though they only cover 12 per cent of the Earth’s surface. “When forests are removed from mountains, soil erodes more quickly, deteriorating the water quality in streams and rivers,” the report reads, adding that many cities depend heavily on mountain water.