Articles
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.
Lots of Russian tourists in Austria
Never before have so many Russian holidaymakers come to Austria as in 2008. Hotels reported a 35% rise in arrivals and a 40% increase in overnight stays.
Discussion on territorial cohesion in Europe
Discussion of the European Commission's Green Paper on Territorial Cohesion entitled "Territorial Diversion as Strength" has been underway since October 2008.
LexALP online database
The LexALP project (Legal Language Harmonisation System for Environment and Spatial Planning within the Multilingual Alps) co-financed by the EU is aimed at collating and explaining specialised terminology relating to the subjects of spatial planning and sustainable development, and making available free of charge on an internet website.
More than 10,000 alien species in Europe
The fact that more and more non-indigenous species of fauna and flora are spreading throughout Europe is nothing new. But for the first time a complete list of all the invasive species has now been compiled.
Alpine Crossing
The "Alpine Pearls" co-operation venture is organising a "softly mobile" winter trip through the Pearls of the Alps between 19 and 30 January 2009 - specially for members of the press.
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.
Projects on transnational networking in the area of natural hazards
AdaptAlp, a recently launched EU project, looks at climate response measures and the evaluation of natural hazards. The work on strategies and proposed solutions aimed at coping with the impact of climate change is to provide the basis for more intensive international co-operation in natural hazard management.
A scientific insight into mountain regions and cultures worldwide
In the October issue of its IHDP Update magazine the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP) looks at mountain regions worldwide.
Is climate change drying up the Alps?
The Alpine range will continue to fulfil its role as central Europe's water tower in the future. But not without restrictions, according to the forecasts of a current study by a group of 20 experts commissioned by the European Environment Agency (EEA).
€100,000 for exemplary climate protection in the Alps
At a ceremony held in Bern/CH on 6 November, the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA) awarded prizes for outstanding climate protection to seven municipalities, businesses and organisations, the winners of its cc.alps competition held across the Alps. Weather expert Thomas Bucheli and CIPRA President Dominik Siegrist presented the prizes worth a total of €100,000.
ECONNECT: Nature without limits
The kick-off for the EU project "ECONNECT - Restoring the web of life" took place in Vienna/A on 4 and 5 November. Over the next three years sixteen partners and four observers from all the Alpine States will be working to implement an ecological network across state borders and the confines of protected areas.
New hypothesis on deep erosion in high mountain regions
Researchers in the south-east of the Tibetan plateau have found that the moraine dams created during glacier fluctuations have over the millennia helped to slow down the erosion effect of large rivers known as downcutting.