Search

From archives to houses of the present

Alpine museums are about more than just wooden skis, farmhouse trunks and old photos. They preserve, exhort or inspire us – and thus have a vital role in society.

Mountain Research and Development Vol 38, No 4: Food Security and Sustainable Development in Mountains

Four papers present opportunities and challenges for sustainable food systems worldwide and in Nepal, Pakistan, and Ladakh. Others explore the contribution of caterpillar fungus to livelihoods in India, the economics of walnut forests in Kyrgyzstan, dwarf pine cover in Slovakia, bacteriological characteristics of drinking water in Nepal, the impact of changing glacier conditions on mountaineering in New Zealand and of ski tourism on wildlife in Poland, and land use dynamics in the Argentinian puna.

What the landscape tells us

How do we perceive changes in the landscape? Why do we feel more closely connected to some places than others? These questions are raised by CIPRA with «Re-Imagine Alps», its new interactive map of the region.

Youth participation is a must-have – not a nice-to-have

More youth participation in the Alps! This was the plea made by the GaYA Conference in Chambéry, France, to politicians and policymakers in the Alpine countries. The strength of feeling involved was illustrated by the participation of numerous young people and representatives from the spheres of politics and society.

YOUTH.SHAPING.EUSALP

[Project completed] To have a say in Alpine policy, to bring in own topics, to exchange ideas with EU politicians: The "Youth.shaping.EUSALP" project makes young people’s and young adults’ voices heard and develops a concrete strategy for the commitment of the youth within the EUSALP. © CIPRA International

Sustainable lifestyles in the Alps

[Project completed] What we eat, what we throw away, how we live and move around - in short, our lifestyle - affects our environment, our fellow human beings and the climate. The project promoted sustainable lifestyles and identifies good examples in the Alps.

Tour des villes

[Project completed] Contribution of Alpine towns to the Alpine Week and subsequent consolidation: sustainable settlement development with a focus on village/city centre revitalisation and use of open spaces

Re-Imagine Alps

[Project completed] Relations between humans, and between humans and nature, are the focus of the “Re-Imagine Alps” project. People take responsibility for their environment when they feel concerned and involved. Landscape here serves as a frame of reference and focal point for the perception and communication of sustainability issues: various relationships, memories and visions are illuminated in respect of, by, and for landscape in the overall Alpine context. Responsibilities and obligations grow out of ideas and relationships.

Innovative ideas for tourism

Forest cabins that are self-sufficient in energy, mobile ski instructors, taking a break in an empty second home or glamping down on the farm: CIPRA Switzerland’s «Innovation Generator» is supporting the start-up of four tourism projects.

Living Labs

[Project completed] The project “Living Labs” brought together people of different ages from different Alpine countries to work together on process and know-how on selected topics. The project approach was participative and based on the principles of co-creation between young talents aged 18-30 years, environmental NGOs, civil society and politicians. The participants of this intergenerational project are committed to the sustainable development of the Alps at local, national and international level. For a desirable future it is important to set the right course today and to talk about how existing natural resources can be used sustainably.

Involving youth: But how?

Once politicians agree on the importance of young people for the future of the Alps and the need for their inclusion in decision-making processes, the question arises: How? How do we engage them in a productive and effective way? To answer these questions, GaYA's Youth Participation Toolbox was created by eight partners from five Alpine countries.

PlurAlps

[Project completed] The Alpine area is experiencing the combined challenges of an ageing population and new migration models. At the same time, opportunities for social innovation and development arise from increasing cultural diversity and pluralism. Mountainous and peripheral Alpine municipalities and regions are specifically concerned and need technical support and new approaches to develop a welcoming culture, which should be credibly embraced and implemented by municipalities, SMEs and civil society.

Social Innovation in the Alps

Point of view: The Alpine community must not forget the refugees!

While Eusalp wants to bring together the Alpine regions, migrants are dying on the borders between the Alpine countries. Francesco Pastorelli, Director of CIPRA Italy, asks what has happened to our hospitable, solidarity-based, tolerant Europe?

How ideas grow and prosper

Marko wants to move to the countryside, but he lacks courage and prospects. Susanne wonders what to do with the many empty buildings. In the project alpMonitor, CIPRA shows how social innovation is preparing the way for the future.

How intact ecosystems improve our quality of life

Nature provides us with enormous benefits. The AlpES project draws on the concept of ecosystem services in order to record these in the Alpine regions and increase their appreciation.

Prospects for young people

Like many other rural areas, the Koroška region of northern Slovenia also has to battle against depopulation. Various measures and ideas now aim to persuade young people to stay.

GaYA

[Project completed] Governance and youth in the Alps - Young people tend to leave the Alpine space because they lack personal and professional fulfilment. Furthermore a majority of decision-makers remain unaware of the benefits a young active population brings to society.

Alpine crossing “whatsalp” successfully completed

Starting 3rd of June 2017, a group of Alpine experts were hiking through Austria, Switzerland, France and Italy from Vienna to Nice in the course of the project “whatsalp”. They documented the current state of the Alps and exchanged experiences with different people on-site and on the way. Another objective was to draw a comparison with the results of the "TransALPedes”crossing of the Alps in 1992 and to take a look into the future. The main partners of the project were the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA) and the Swiss Alpine Initiative, in addition to numerous other partners such as the Alpine Convention, for instance. On the 29th of September 2017, the whatsalp group arrived in Nice and reported on the results.

Point of view: Municipalities as drivers for sustainable development

Sustainable development cannot be prescribed by law: it needs local people to put it into effect. Municipalities have a key role here, says Jean Horgues-Debat, the newly elected President of CIPRA France.

I-LivAlps: a conclusion for the future

September saw the fourth and final I-LivAlps workshop on social innovation held in the Valle Maira, Italy. The end of the project has produced a rich harvest.

Society’s demands mark the landscape

Conflicting needs and exaggerated expectations collide when it comes to spatial planning. Its role needs to be rethought, with a move away from overall planning and a shift towards guidance and awareness-raising. This was the tenor of the CIPRA Annual Conference held on 29 and 30 September 2017 in Innsbruck, Austria.

A wind of change for municipalities

At the Nagelfluhkette Nature Park/A, young people are teaching primary schoolchildren for a day. Together, they study water courses as a habitat for plants and animals. In l’Argentière-la-Bessée/F, another group is creating an adventure trail to the entrance of a silver mine.

Laughing, walking and learning from each other

CIPRA Slovenia. Increasingly, children are now being driven to school by their parents. CIPRA Slovenia is working to counter that trend by working with the Institute for Spatial Policies and the Association for Sustainable Development. And thanks to the Pedibus, schoolchildren get to exercise – and have more opportunities for contact with children of the same age.

Identity needs culture

CIPRA Switzerland. Growth-orientated regional politics in Switzerland today are aimed first and foremost at economic development and at prioritising hubs and development axes. The potential afforded by mountain regions with their diverse culture is barely recognised.

Creating and testing new ways

Climate change, scarce resources, development pressures: there is a global need for new ways and forms of social and economic cohabitation. The Alps too are the setting for social innovations.

A beacon for sustainable tourism

The second weekend in August will once again see the “Fire across the Alps” burning. In this, the UN Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, these watch-fires are intended to stimulate ideas as to the necessary changes for tourism in the Alps.

Spray-painting for environmental protection

CIPRA South Tyrol. Urban Green – How does the young generation imagine its city of the future?

Alpine Convention puts equality on the agenda

With a women’s conference and a declaration, the Austrian presidency has placed a new topic on the agenda of the Alpine Convention – and raised expectations. But where do things go from here?

Networked for the Alps - CIPRA Annual report 2016