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International support for campaign against Brenner wind farm
With its planned wind farm on the Brenner Pass, Italy is breaching the Alpine Convention, according to the Club Arc Alpin, which has petitioned the Alpine Convention's committee of inquiry. For the first time in the history of the convention, "complaint proceedings" have begun.
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International support for campaign against Brenner wind farm
With its planned wind farm on the Brenner Pass, Italy is breaching the Alpine Convention, according to the Club Arc Alpin, which has petitioned the Alpine Convention's committee of inquiry. For the first time in the history of the convention, "complaint proceedings" have begun.
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CIPRA's point of view: Water on!
Austria's checklist for the building of hydroelectric power plants is technically sound, offering transparency for building permits, but no protection for ecologically intact waters.
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Solar installations in Switzerland: innovative yet infuriating
Solar modules on ski lifts and mountain-slopes: the legacy of Fukushima and rising electricity prices mean that creative solutions are needed for power production. We offer a summary of Swiss megaprojects and world premieres.
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Liechtenstein switches the lights out
The first state in the world to go dark: in January and February Liechtenstein is conducting experiments in bird protection, energy efficiency and public safety.
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Soča valley soon under water?
The proposal was made by Slovenia's Ministry of Economic Affairs just before the summer break. Five hydroelectric power plants are to be built on the Soča river and its tributaries, the Ucja and Idrijca.
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Green electricity for Liechtenstein
As of next year the electricity flowing out of Liechtenstein's power sockets will be sourced exclusively from renewable energies, but only in private households that do not insist on the previous mix of nuclear energy and fossil fuels.
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Make the Alps energy self-sufficient! CIPRA-demands - Energy self-sufficient regions
Not having to depend on energy imports: this vision holds great fascination for many regions. Self-sufficiency is "in." There are already many very positive approaches and examples of attempts to go down this road. At the heart of all the concepts is the idea of meeting demand through regional renewable sources of energy, saving energy and using energy more efficiently. Anyone who systematically takes this approach in an attempt to create an energy self-sufficient region changes the face of their region and its structures - to the benefit of their own economy, society and the environment.
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First solar-powered bus now on the road
Since July Europe's first ever electric bus powered exclusively by solar energy has been operating in Perchtoldsdorf/A. The public transport bus seats up to 35 passengers.
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The sense and sensuality of contemporary buildings
CIPRA has many years of experience with energy-efficient construction and renovation. It also has many years of experience networking people and publicising information. Which is why it is ideally placed to pass on expertise on contemporary buildings – throughout the Alps and beyond. And that is what CIPRA’s 2010 Annual Report titled Building for the Future is all about.
Press/Media release
cc.alps: CIPRA Demands – Energy self-sufficient regions
Not having to depend on energy imports: this vision holds great fascination for many regions. Self-sufficiency is “in.” There are already many very positive approaches and examples of attempts to go down this road. At the heart of all the concepts is the idea of meeting demand through regional renewable sources of energy, saving energy and using energy more efficiently. Anyone who systematically takes this approach in an attempt to create an energy self-sufficient region changes the face of their region and its structures – to the benefit of their own economy, society and the environment.
Position
climalp video: living in a plus-energy house
CIPRA's climalp project demonstrates that energy-efficient houses built using regionally sourced timber are highly beneficial when it comes to living comfort, the climate, and the regional economy. A recent video featuring the single-family home of the Götz family built in Switzerland's Rhine valley in 2004 illustrates what sustainable, climate-friendly building can look like in practice.
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Power plant expansion on the Lech at the expense of nature conservation?
The Lech river in Bavaria/D is already being used on a massive scale for electricity generation, and only the stretch at Augsburg/D remains undeveloped. But even this section of the river could very soon become the site of a hydroelectric power plant. The expansion plans are not an isolated case; rather, they reflect a trend throughout the Alps, and one that is gathering momentum.
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Background report on "Energy Self-sufficient Regions" now online!
The latest cc.alps background report is the compact on "Energy Self-sufficient Regions". It is dedicated to this topical, future-oriented issue and takes an in-depth look at the ambitious concept and its conflicts of objectives.
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Uphill with solar energy
The village of Tenna in the Safien valley of the Swiss canton Graubünden is working hard on a world premiere. The Skilift Tenna cooperative has decided to replace an ancient ski lift by the first solar-powered ski lift ever.
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Energy-efficient Alpine communities and Alpine towns
At the end of February the Vorarlberg communities of Langenegg, Mäder and Zwischenwasser received the European Energy Award® (eea) - Gold. These communities spearhead the international award for energy-efficient communities, which evaluates some 600 towns and communities across Europe.
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New builds to meet tough climate requirements by 2020
From 2020 new builds in the EU will have to comply with tough energy balance requirements. Last week representatives of the European Parliament and EU states agreed that new builds should in future have virtually zero greenhouse gas emissions. Any remaining energy requirements should also be met essentially from renewable sources. These stipulations are to come into force two years earlier for public buildings.
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New builds to meet tough climate requirements by 2020
From 2020 new builds in the EU will have to comply with tough energy balance requirements. Last week representatives of the European Parliament and EU states agreed that new builds should in future have virtually zero greenhouse gas emissions. Any remaining energy requirements should also be met essentially from renewable sources. These stipulations are to come into force two years earlier for public buildings.
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AlpHouse combines traditional trades & crafts and energy efficiency
The new three-year Alpine Space Project entitled AlpHouse was launched in early October. AlpHouse strives to enhance the competitiveness of SMEs, especially in the area of trades & crafts, by providing them with the knowledge, skills and tools for top-quality renovations of old buildings in the Alpine region.
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The 2009 Climate Winners
The winning municipalities of the 2009 Climate Star were presented with their awards in Melk in Lower Austria on October 22, under the motto of "Fast Track to Climate Protection". The proud winners from the Alpine region were the local authorities of Lustenau in Austria and Sand in Taufers in South Tyrol/I. The record participation of 444 municipalities from eleven European countries, with a very strong showing by local authorities in the Alps, highlights the importance now attached to climate protection.
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cc.alps: CIPRA Demands on Energy
In order to limit global warming, first of all it is important that we use energy more efficiently. Yet this will not be enough for operating in a way that climate can sustain. We must radically change our energy consumption and our consumption of energy-intensive goods and services. Experience shows that consumption only goes down when clear political signals are sent - which include legislative initiatives, rewarding energy saving and punishing waste. The switch from fossil to renewable energies must be forced - but not to the detriment of nature. Biomass production, the installation of wind power turbines and new hydroelectric power stations in the Alps hide many potential conflicts. The environmental, social and economic consequences of climate projects must be carefully assessed and compared.
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Calm and collected in a heated discussion: Ivan Hribar, director of Snovik thermal spa/SL
The Thermal Center Snovik was the winner of one of the seven prizes in CIPRA’s cc.alps competition for its activities . We met the director Ivan Hribar.
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New ideas for life in the Alps in the post-fossil age
Last week's annual CIPRA conference on the subject of growth attracted some 200 attendees to Liechtenstein. There was a consensus that our limited resources mean that growth is finite. Numerous ideas were offered and calls made for a response to the inevitable downsizing process. CIPRA summarised the most urgent calls in a catalogue of ideas.
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Beacons of energy-efficient construction in the mountains
The summer of 2009 saw the opening of the first mountain chalet to be built to the Minergy-P standard. Located in the ski area of Zermatt/CH at an altitude of 3,883 metres, the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is a model of ecological construction at the foot of the Klein Matterhorn.
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First carbon-footprint calculation for a ski school
The carbon footprint of a ski school in France has been measured for the first time.
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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.
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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.
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Manifesto for sustainable building
The KlimaHaus Agentur in Bolzano/I is calling for the signing of the "Manifesto for Sustainable Building".
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400 European municipalities committed to climate change issues
400 European towns, cities and municipalities have signed the Covenant of Mayors.
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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.