Articles
Energy-efficient buildings under discussion
The Director of the Passive House Institute in Darmstadt/Germany, Wolfgang Feist, and the Director of the ClimateHouse Agency in Bolzano/I, Norbert Lantschner, have responded to questions about energy-efficient construction in interviews.
Alps insight: Schengen for Flora and Fauna
CIPRA's Alps insight No. 90 (formerly CIPRA Info) "Schengen for Flora and Fauna" is devoted to the topic of biotope networking.
Master in Sustainable Mountain Development
The new degree programme "MSc Managing Sustainable Mountain Development" begins at Perth College/UK in August 2009.
History of the Alps now also in English
Jon Mathieu's book entitled in German Geschichte der Alpen, 1500-1900: Umwelt, Entwicklung und Gesellschaft is now available in an English translation.
Feasibility of Alpine Crossing Exchange to be examined at the European level
The transport ministers of Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Germany, France and Slovenia have commissioned an in-depth analysis relating to the introduction of the Alpine Crossing Exchange. At a meeting of the ministers in Vienna/A a body was entrusted with clarifying the preconditions for the implementation of the three traffic management systems, specifically the Alpine Crossing Exchange, the emissions trading scheme and "Toll plus".
A European League for renewable energies
The RES Champions League is a network of national renewable energy leagues and also a competition for renewable energies between European cities, towns and villages, which was launched on 23 April 2009 at the annual meeting of Énergie-Cités and the Climate Alliance.
European Day of Parks 2009
The European Day of Parks is to take place on and around May 24, as it does every year.
EU Parliament agrees to ratify Transport Protocol
At the end of April 2009 the European Parliament agreed to the ratification of the Alpine Convention's Transport Protocol.
Manifesto for sustainable building
The KlimaHaus Agentur in Bolzano/I is calling for the signing of the "Manifesto for Sustainable Building".
400 European municipalities committed to climate change issues
400 European towns, cities and municipalities have signed the Covenant of Mayors.
"RiskPlan" facilitates risk management
The "RiskPlan" analysis software was developed by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Protection (FOCP) and presented as part of the AdaptAlp Project (Adaptation to Climate Change in the Alpine Space).
A guide to the Alpine Convention
The Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention recently published a book in five languages (de, en, fr, it, sl) entitled The Alps: Eight Countries, A Single Territory.
Awards for six sustainable tourism projects
During its presidency of the Alpine Convention France is focusing on sustainable tourism.
UNESCO Biosphere Entlebuch wins TO DO! Award 2008
Every year since 1995 the Institute for Tourism and Development (Studienkreis für Tourismus und Entwicklung) stages its "TO DO!" competition for socially responsible tourism.
Results of the Workshop on Global Change Research in Mountainous Regions
A workshop on the global (climate) change and its impact on mountainous regions was held at the University of California Berkeley/US on 14 December 2008.
The Alpine Convention has no answer to climate change
At the 10th Alpine Conference held in Evian/F the Alpine states today debated a common approach to climate change. They were unable however to agree on a climate action plan for the Alpine region that is worthy of the name. Besides general formulations the climate action plan finally adopted by the Conference does contain a few concrete measures - thanks not least to pressure from CIPRA. However these measures are far too tentative to genuinely take climate protection in the Alps forward.
Latest update on ecological networks in the Alpine region
CIPRA has just expanded and updated its online dossier on "Relevant Instruments Relating to Ecological Networks in the Alpine Region".
Sylvia Hamberger awarded Bavaria's Nature Conservation Medal
On 12 March 2009 the German environmental organisation Bund Naturschutz awarded Bavaria's Nature Conservation Medal to Sylvia Hamberger in recognition of her exceptional contributions to the protection of the Alpine region.
Alps Know-How CD now available for download
The Alps Know-How CD is one of the results of the Future in the Alps know-how transfer project.
Browsing the essence of 58 Alpine projects
The Alpine Space Programme Interreg III B ran from 2000 to 2006. During that time 700 partners from 33 regions carried out a total of 58 projects with funds of around €120 million.
Climate Star 2009
To the motto of a "Short Track to Climate Protection", the Climate Alliance is inviting all European towns, cities and municipalities, for the fourth time, to apply for a Climate Star with an exemplary climate protection project of their own.
Climate Action: Energy for a Changing World
In December 2008 the European Commission adopted an integrated energy and climate change policy and defined specific targets for 2020.
Alpine glaciers melting the fastest
Data from the World Glacier Monitoring Service for 2007 once again underscores what everyone has feared: the world's glaciers are continuing to melt at an alarming rate.
Advanced studies in the field of sustainable tourism
The Swiss Tourism School Siders is offering a new Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in "Heritage and Tourism - The Mountains as a Living, Working and Recreation Environment" in conjunction with the UNESCO World Heritage property of the Swiss Alps Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn.
A change of gender for alpMedia
For the past four years Felix Hahn has been the project manager in charge of the success of the alpMedia Newsletter.
"Cool heads in the hothouse! - Acting with Awareness in the Face of Climate Change"
On 2 and 3 April 2009 the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA) and the municipality of Bolzano/I is organising an international conference entitled "Cool Heads in the Hothouse! - Acting with Awareness in the Face of Climate Change".
French municipality against heli-skiing
In mid-November 2008 the municipal council of Pralognan la Vanoise/F voted unanimously to put a stop to tourist helicopter traffic on its municipal territory in the Chavière/F valley.
2018 Olympics - How green are France's candidatures?
Four French towns are bidding to stage the 2018 Winter Olympics:
Switzerland says No to "gigaliners"
Environmental associations have launched a campaign against the introduction of "gigaliners" on Switzerland's roads. The country's Bundesrat [Federal Council] has already clearly rejected the "monster trucks".
Even high-elevation Himalayan glaciers are melting
Glacier studies by an international team led by Natalie Kehrwald of Ohio State University show that even high-elevation glaciers are suffering from the effect of climate change.