Articles
EU Structural Fund with negative environmental impacts
More than two thirds of the projects financed with the help of the European Union's Structural Fund have effects that are contrary to EU environmental policy objectives.
Geotourism Challenge - public voting for the winning projects
This year the American National Geographic Society launched the "Geotourism Challenge: Celebrating Places/Changing Lives", a new competition designed to find and promote pioneers in the field of geotourism.
The Climate in the Alps is much prized - CIPRA Competition cc.alps: win prizes worth up to €20,000 each
Prizes worth a total of €100,000 await the best measures aimed at a sustainable approach to the consequences of climate change in the Alpine region. CIPRA, the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps, has just launched this competition as part of its cc.alps Project.
Educational CD on sustainable development in the Alps
A new educational CD-Rom has been published, providing a wide overview of key issues affecting the Alps.
Ibex Label for Swiss youth hostels
At the beginning of May ten Swiss youth hostels were awarded the Ibex Label, which has been presented to establishments operating according to sustainable management principles in Switzerland since 1994.
Ecological networks in the Alps at the 9th Conference on Biological Diversity
More than 5,000 participants are expected in Bonn/D at the end of May for the 9th Conference of the Contracting Parities to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Successful destinations in alpine tourism
BAK - Basel Economics has been analysing the success and competitiveness of some 100 tourist destinations in the Alpine region on a regular basis since 2005; however the study focuses only on economic aspects and does not take ecological aspects into account.
Citizens' Agora on the topic of climate change
On 12 and 13 June the European Parliament is inviting European civil society to the second citizens' Agora to express its views on the topic of climate change, submit analyses and proposals, and also define its role in future action.
Energy supplies at risk from shrinking glaciers
The shrinkage of the Mer de Glace in the French Alps is having a tangible impact on the use of hydropower.
Stable glaciers in Central Asia
Global warming is not causing all the world's glaciers to melt at the same rate.
ClimChAlp Project completed
The final conference in Laufen/D on 12 March 2008 marked the end of the Interreg IIIB Alpine Space Project "ClimChAlp" (Climate Change, Impacts and Adaptation Strategies in the Alpine Space).
Switzerland's first village hotel
The entire village of Vná in the Lower Engadine is to become a hotel as of May 1.
New publication on mountain dams
The new March issue of the bilingual magazine La revue de géographie alpine / Journal of Alpine Research looks at impoundment dams and new challenges in mountain areas.
The Alps as a Model Climate Region: cc.alps shows how it's done
Climate change is affecting the Alps more than other regions of Europe. That's why in many areas measures are now being adopted and prepared to reduce, or adapt to, climate change. CIPRA's new project "cc.alps" is designed to help ensure that these climate response measures are in keeping with the principle of sustainable development as far as possible.
New alpine Natura 2000 regions
In spring 2008 a whole range of new alpine Natura 2000 regions were included in the EU-wide network of protected areas Natura 2000 and published in an updated list.
Future in the Alps comes to a close
Future in the Alps was officially terminated last December. That makes it time to look back at the work done and the results and successes achieved in the course of the three and a half years of the project and also to look forward into the future after Future in the Alps.
Where's the know-how? Now we know!
At the beginning of the project there was the general conviction that the know-how was there and some good examples, too, but those who stood to benefit from them did not know where to find them. Forty experts from the Alps spent the first year collecting the available know-how on six main topics.
The challenge: disseminating knowledge
Establishing the knowledge base was an important first step. It formed the foundation for the transfer of knowledge in the central phase of Future in the Alps. Numerous activities were launched with the objective of communicating the know-how collected to as many actors as possible throughout the region of the Alps.
Implementing knowledge, supporting communities, building networks
The objective of Future in the Alps was not just to collect and communicate know-how, but also to promote utilisation of that know-how. The winners of the competition were given continuous support, and measures were taken to ensure that the prize money was put to the agreed use.
Collaboration in regional development
The last workshop in the series "Disseminating knowledge - networking people" is being held in St. Gall/CH on 3 April 2008 on the subject of "Collaboration in regional development".
AlpWeek: Innovation and the Alps - yesterday, today, tomorrow
11 - 14 June 2008 are the dates of one of this year's most important events in the Alps, involving no fewer than five major networks of the Alpine region (CIPRA, Alpine Network of Protected Areas, Alliance in the Alps, Iscar and Club Arc Alpin).
Climate protection: are we doing the right thing?
Future in the Alps was a success! But CIPRA is moving on and, with fresh energy and new competence, is this time addressing one very important and equally complex topic. The climate is changing.
EU funds for fifty harmful projects
At the end of February Friends of the Earth Europe and CEE Bankwatch published a list of 50 environmentally damaging and economically dubious infrastructure projects in Central and Eastern Europe, which are either financed or planned to be financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and EU regional development funds.
Award for sustainable projects in water management
This year again Swiss Re, a major reinsurance company, presented its ReSource Award. This Award is bestowed to innovative projects in water management as part of an annual competition.
Alpine ski resorts melting away
A quick demise looks to be on the cards for two ski resorts in the Ticino/CH. Indeed the ski station at Abondance/F did not even go into operation this season.
NENA: A new network of innovative enterprises in the Alps
A network of innovative and sustainability-orientated enterprises and umbrella organisations in the Alps was officially established in Zurich in mid-January.
EU Green Paper on Mountain Regions
The EU is planning to begin work on drawing up a Green Paper on EU policy on mountain regions this September. In doing so it accedes to a demand expressed by mountain regions over many years and takes an important step towards acknowledging the special status of mountain regions.
Monitoring tool and strategies for regional development
The DIAMONT Interreg IIIB project (for Data Infrastructure for the Alps. Mountain Orientated Network Technology) came to an end with a conference in Innsbruck/A on February 1.
Freight traffic in Europe: costs and alternatives
The European Commission has just released a handbook on the internationalisation of external costs in the transport sector. The handbook features proven methods for estimating and monetising the costs caused by air pollution, noise, climate change, congestion and accidents.
Will Europe's largest photovoltaic installation soon be in the Alps?
Europe's largest photovoltaic installation is set to be built in the French département of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Negotiations have already taken place for the lease of the plot of land on which the installation is to be built, at an altitude of 1,000 m above sea level.