Articles
cc.alps showcases future mobility in the Alps
In September CIPRA focused on the issue of sustainable mobility and transport as part of cc.alps and co-organised two events on these topics.
Gran Paradiso National Park: what is causing young ibexes to die out?
Since the foundation of Italy's first national park in 1922, the Alpine Ibex has been preserved from extinction for the past 100 years or so. Now the ibex population at the Gran Paradiso National Park/I is seriously at risk. Three quarters of the young animals are dying during their first year of life. In 1993 the population totalled around 5'000 animals; today the population at the Gran Paradiso National Park is just under half that number. It is still unclear what is causing the death of the young bi-ungulates.
“Bolzano, the energy source”
ASSOCIATION “Alpine Town of the Year” - Bolzano’s municipal councillor Helmuth Moroder explains how the “2009 Alpine Town of the Year” intends to achieve ITS aim OF BEING carbon-neutral by 2030.
Rhaetian Triangle: new online tools and support for local initiatives
The Swiss National Park (SNP) is currently developing a web based tool to analyze barriers and corridors of the large pilot region Rhaetian Triangle. Furthermore, two local initiatives are concretely acting for the restoration of ecological connectivity. The new map application will allow comparing a freely defined area with other areas in the neighbourhood and identifying the fields with high need of action according to selected indices.
cc.alps on the international climate stage
In 2009 the cc.alps project team attended a wide range of international events where it presented the results of the project.
Turin/I: Olympic sports facilities left to waste away
Since the close of the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin many of the sports facilities and installations have been left abandoned. The five ski jumps in Pragelato, for example, for which the building costs exceeded 34 million Euros, are now closed off and unused.
A cool head in conversation: Norbert Lantschner, Director of the ClimateHouse Agency in Bolzano/I "The cleanest energy is the energy I don't need"
The ClimateHouse Agency in Bolzano has won one of the seven prizes of the CIPRA's cc.alps Competition for its energy saving initiatives. We spoke to its Director, Norbert Lantschner at our "Cool Heads in the Hothouse" conference.
International Competition for Mountain Photography and Film
Photographs and films on the subject of Mountain, Landscape and Nature, from the mountains of Lombardy to the world's highest peaks may now be submitted as entries for the "Orobie Film Festival" International Film and Photography Competition.
Dolomites named as a UNESCO World Heritage Site
At its 33rd meeting held on 26th June 2009 in Seville, Spain the UNESCO World Heritage Committee approved the application from the Dolomites/I to be included in the list of "Natural World Heritage Sites of universal value" thus according it the highest worldwide status for a natural site.
Manifesto for sustainable building
The KlimaHaus Agentur in Bolzano/I is calling for the signing of the "Manifesto for Sustainable Building".
"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".
ACCESS: Improving the provision of basic services
ACCESS, the transnational project, was launched in Genoa/I at the end of October. Its objective is to improve the provision of basic public services in rural mountain regions using innovations in organisation.
Cashmere goats for the Aosta Valley
Italy's Aosta Valley is to introduce cashmere goats in a bid to start a breeding project. The regional office for agriculture states that the goats can be kept outdoors all year round and are happy to graze even on difficult terrain.
Interactive Internet portal for sustainability in South Tyrol
In a research project lasting several years, a sustainability monitor has been developed for South Tyrol, Italy and is now on-line.
2009 Alpine Town of the Year award for Bolzano
On 9 June Bolzano/I was officially declared the 2009 Alpine Town of the Year. The decision was taken in recognition of the South Tyrolean town's contribution to climate protection and a sustainable planning policy designed to provide a good quality of life for residents and an attractive destination for visitors.
Call for a more strategic approach to mountain area development
At a meeting of the Adelboden Group held in Rome on 3 October over 60 representatives from governments, civil society and international organisations from mountain countries across the globe called for a more coherent approach to sustainable development in mountain areas.
What's new on www.cipra.org/zukunft
Brig, Klagenfurt and Chiavenna: Workshop documentation is now online The workshop on "The Forestry Sector in Regional Policy - Options for Sustainable Development in the Alpine Region" organised by the Further Education in Forestry and Landscape jointly with CIPRA was held in Brig/CH on March 28 and 29.
Cervino international mountain film festival
The 10th edition of the Breuil-Cervinia/Valtournenche international mountain film festival is to be held in Italy's Aosta Valley from 25 to 29 July. The film festival, which is now being held again under its original name Cervino Cinemountain, is Europe's highest, given that it takes place at 2000 m above sea level. The 40 films featured at the festival cover the entire spectrum of topics from the environment to sports, culture and history.
Budoia: Lots of interest in (and enthusiasm for) the organic canteen
In spite of the difficulties Budoia is pushing ahead with the school canteen project, driven by the enthusiasm of parents, teachers and children. Thanks to the prize money from the Future in the Alps competition it has been possible to continue promoting the Project among the families and maintaining the education on nutrition among the schoolchildren.
International trade fair and conference on renewable energies in Aosta
The trade fair and conference entitled "Rigenergia: Renewable energies and energy-saving in architecture and construction in the mountains" is being held in Aosta from 7 to 9 June.
Ski runs a hazard for bird communities
According to a report compiled by ecologists at the University of Turin/I in the Journal of Applied Ecology, high-altitude alpine ski runs are posing a serious threat to bird communities.
New measures for combating and managing particulate matte
Every winter, de-icing salt is scattered on the roads despite its negative impact on the environment, groundwater, infrastructure and cars. But now Klagenfurt/A has come up with an alternative: Instead of salt it is to spray calcium magnesium acetate (CMA), a de-icing agent made from calcium, magnesium and acetic acid.
55th international mountain film festival in Trento
The Trento Film Festival is being held in Trento/I from 24 April to 6 May 2007 for the 55th time. Topical documentary and feature films are to be screened in four categories, with awards going to the best.
Low-cost construction method for the KlimaHau
The provinces of South Tyrol/I and Lower Saxony/D have co-developed the world's first ever energy-saving prefabricated house based on a low-cost construction method. The aim is to establish and use the South Tyrol KlimaHaus as an alternative construction method for Africa and disaster areas.
Olympic infrastructures - A bottomless pit?
The infrastructure facilities built for the Olympic Winter Games in Turin in February 2006 have proved an expensive legacy.
Environmental management at campsites in South Tyrol
Twelve campsite operators in South Tyrol are planning to introduce an environmental management system as part of the Eco-camping Project.
Delimitation of the Carpathian Convention area - Pilot study
Die Europäische Akademie in Bozen/I publizierte kürzlich eine englischsprachige Pilotstudie zur Implementierung internationaler Berggebietskonventionen.
Sondrio is the 2007 Alpine Town of the Year
In August Sondrio/I was officially awarded the title of 2007 Alpine Town of the Year. The award pays tribute to Sondrio's commitment to enhancing the municipality's ecological, cultural and tourist status.
Skiers: a species on the verge of extinction?
A new study by WWF Italy shows that snowfall in the Italian Alps has decreased by 20% over the past thirty years and looks at the consequences. The tourism industry, which has been a cash cow for many alpine regions, has come to rely exclusively on artificial snow installations in many cases.
Montagnalibri - The mountain book exhibition of the Trento Film Festival
The Montagnalibri mountain book fair is being held in Trento/I between 29 April and 7 May for the 20th time. Book presentations and meetings, discussions and round tables with authors, mountaineers and connoisseurs of Alpine history are to be held daily.