Innovation to counter emigration

Emigration and the brain drain in the Alpine region: a new EU project involving CIPRA aims to counteract this trend. It is testing innovative governance models to strengthen mountain regions and create a win-win situation for regions of origin, destinations and young emigrants.

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Time to shelve the growth model
Time to shelve the growth model
Yearly Symposium 2009 Gamprin/FL “Growth come hell or high water?”. Andreas Götz, Director OF CIPRA International, on declining growth and its repercussions for the Alps.
CIPRA prepares a seed bed for new ideas in the Alpine region
CIPRA prepares a seed bed for new ideas in the Alpine region
CIPRA addressed a broad range of issues at its Yearly Symposium entitled “Growth come hell or high water? The Alps in search of happiness” in Gamprin/FL in September. A look at the global cycles and modes of action provided the framework for the topic. CIPRA also looked at the close ties with the Alps, where those global cycles have an impact, and promoted dialogue at various levels. The Symposium was very favourably received by more than 200 participants from all the Alpine countries.
Leisure: car-free mobility
Leisure: car-free mobility
Leisure activities that do not involve the use of cars are now "in", as the increasing number of information packs clearly shows. The Alpine Club South Tyrol (AVS) for instance recently published five new brochures, each featuring 15 to 20 hiking routes whose starting and finishing points can all be reached by public transport. In the series Hiking Without Cars the Alpine Club has compiled a total of some 300 hiking tips for the whole of South Tyrol. As the AVS remarks in a press release, "It should be a priority for tourist regions to adopt measures that promote the use of public transport for travel both to and from destinations as well as for activities at the holiday destination itself".
The "brain drain": an opportunity for the Alps?
The "brain drain": an opportunity for the Alps?
Highly qualified people are also leaving alpine regions to move to other regions or countries. But according to a study by the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Alpenländer (ARGE ALPE) Working Group the Alps can put this brain drain to a positive use. Indeed these brilliant minds are also multipliers and image carriers for their homeland around the globe, a fact that should be capitalised on.

Events

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May 27, 2025
Webinar - Successfully organising sustainable procurement with proCURE online
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Jun 27, 2025 - Jun 28, 2025
FutureForum Alps 2025 SAL - Saal am Lindaplatz, Landstrasse 19, 9494 Schaan, Liechtenstein

Projects

UrbaBio
UrbaBio
[Project completed] In the project UrbaBio, representatives of the participating Alpine Towns of Annecy, Belluno, Chambéry and Trento drew on each other's broad pool of knowledge to promote biodiversity in the city.
Living Labs
Living Labs
[Project completed] The project “Living Labs” brought together people of different ages from different Alpine countries to work together on process and know-how on selected topics. The project approach was participative and based on the principles of co-creation between young talents aged 18-30 years, environmental NGOs, civil society and politicians. The participants of this intergenerational project are committed to the sustainable development of the Alps at local, national and international level. For a desirable future it is important to set the right course today and to talk about how existing natural resources can be used sustainably.
Sustainable Alpine Tourism
Sustainable Alpine Tourism
[Project completed] Sustainable tourism in the Alps is the only long-term alternative to conventional mass tourism in order to safeguard the habitat for nature and people. So far, however, there is a lack of jointly defined framework conditions on anational or alpine level for planning, promoting and implementing sustainable tourism.