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Point of view: For glaciers without a circus

The largest glacier ski resort in the Alps is to be built in Tyrol, Austria - on already melting glaciers. The planned connection of the ski areas in Pitztal and Ötztal goes against all reason, says Kaspar Schuler, Co-Manager of CIPRA International.

Youth Alpine Interrail: On track for 2020

With CIPRA's «Youth Alpine Interrail» project, 100 young people travelled environmentally friendly through the Alps this summer. On 27 September 2019, the successful conclusion was celebrated in Bern/CH, where the travellers also worked together to develop demands for sustainable transport.

Open letter on transit traffic: CIPRA demands toll increase

Mountain Research and Development, Vol 39, No 1, available online and open access

Papers in this issue cover food sustainability issues in Kenya and Bolivia and in Chile; the water–food–energy nexus and tourism in Nepal; perceptions of parks in a neoliberal context in Poland and in Switzerland; behavior change of backcountry tourists in Switzerland; and postdisturbance forest recovery in Slovakia. The issue closes with an IMS member’s portrait and three tributes to Bruno Messerli.

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

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

Building – a bottomless pit?

Whether it is a question of major projects or infrastructure developments in protected areas – Alpine countries such as Austria and Switzerland cannot build quickly or easily enough.

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?

The Brenner Pass: transit trouble

The year 2017 saw record numbers of trucks crossing the Brenner Pass. Now there is an opportunity to find a solution to the problem.

The Alpine Lab. The experience carried on by CIPRA in the Susa Valley

Alpine Convention

Alpine Politics

What now for the Alpine strategy?

Since January, the Austrian federal state of Tyrol has been chairing the European strategy for the Alps. This year will see a decision on how the strategy will be implemented in practice.

Alpine Partnership for Local Climate Action (ALPACA)

[Project completed] Rising temperatures, rockfalls, lack of snow: global warming is clearly noticeable in the Alpine region. The «Alpine Partnership for Local Climate Action» has the intention to bring together cities, municipalities and networks in order to work together for more climate protection. With this initiative, CIPRA International, «Alliance in the Alps» and «Alpine Town of the Year» want to strengthen the transregional exchange of knowledge and experience. The goal of positioning the Alps as a model region for climate protection is also in line with the Alpine Convention.

The Alps as the focus of climate policy

Temperatures in the Alps are rising faster than the global average. The search for solutions is not limited to the World Climate Conference being held in Bonn, Germany.

Partnership of Alpine communities for climate protection

CIPRA International presented the idea of a Climate Partnership of Alpine Communities at the opening day of the 2017 World Climate Summit in Bonn, Germany. In partnership with the “Alliance in the Alps” and “Alpine Town of the Year” networks, as well as the support of the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, CIPRA International wants to actively strengthen the role of towns and cities in the Alpine region in increasing climate protection in the coming years.

Going further, together

There is an African saying that goes: “If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.” And the trail to sustainable development in the Alps and to preserving the alpine natural environment, its habitat and its economic area is a very long one indeed. It is one the Alliance in the Alps network of municipalities and CIPRA International have been trekking along together since 1997.

Think globally, act locally

CIPRA France. The European Strategy for the Alps (Eusalp) examines answers to challenges such as demographic change, economic globalisation, climate change, and energy transition.

Give youth a voice! How youth participation can be encouraged in the Alpine space

How can young people become more involved in political processes? What good examples already exist for this? These questions were the central issues at a workshop held in the context of the GaYA project in Bozen/Bolzano.

Reliable partnerships right across the Alps

CIPRA Austria, CIPRA Germany, CIPRA South Tyrol. Right now the cable car industry is all about superlatives. Indeed, the “world’s greatest glacier ski area” is to be created by linking up the ski resorts in the Austrian Pitztal and Ötztal valleys.

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?

No ski-lift connection permitted in nature reserve

The Federal State of Upper Austria gave its legal opinion on the expansion of the “Höss-Wurzeralm” ski area in April. The matter is now on file.

Networked for the Alps - CIPRA Annual report 2016

Networked for the Alps

CIPRA is a small organisation that can boast a large network. Its annual report shows how this permits people to tackle the challenges facing the Alps together.

Solstice in winter tourism

Tourism has brought wealth to the Alps. In many regions it remains an important source of income, but lack of economic diversification is also a risk. The importance and orientation of tourism differs strongly among Alpine countries, but all of them need new strategies and approaches to cope with shifts in visitor behaviour and climate change. A socio-economic transformation is needed that takes account of tourism’s past, present and future potential.

Point of view: Adaptation to climate change is inevitable

Despite progress in international climate policy, a rise in temperatures is inevitable. An adaptation now will save costs later, states Wolfgang Pfefferkorn, project manager for climate and energy at CIPRA International. Alpine regions are leading the way.

The Alpine Convention declares itself in favour of the “Green Economy”

How should a sustainable economy in the Alpine region look? The Alpine conference held in Grassau, Germany, in October 2016 adopted a report on this topic: its implementation will show how well-suited it actually is.

Taking small steps together

Last week’s AlpWeek held in Grassau/DE saw the focus on people and their relations with the Alps. The topics of migration and youth participation were particular subjects of discussion.

Point of view: A strategy for people in the Alps

The European strategy for the Alps is intended to create new relationships between Alpine regions and the surrounding areas. This however requires oversight to ensure the reconciliation of interests as well as sustainable development, says Andreas Pichler, director of CIPRA international.

The Alpine Convention in action

Urban areas are not often directly thought of in connection with the Alpine Convention - “the Alps are mountains, not cities” is the refrain. The Austrian city of Klagenfurt contradicts such views.