Political positions of CIPRA International
Hydropower in the Alps
How much hydropower use is environmentally compatible and ecologically sustainable? This question has been on the minds of people in the Alpine region for decades - all the more so against the backdrop of the urgent need to move away from fossil fuels. There are currently around 21,000 hydropower plants in operation in Europe, 300 under construction and over 8,500 in the planning stage. In many places, climate change with its imponderables such as extreme floods is being countered with more dams and walls, although river widening, for example, would make more ecological sense.
Alpine landscape is not renewable!
Landscape is a key to negotiating social and political issues. CIPRA has taken up these issues as part of its Alpine-wide priority theme “Landscape” 2019-2020. This position paper, which was developed in a broad and participatory process with CIPRA representatives, young Alpine women and experts from all Alpine countries, is the conclusion of this priority theme.
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.
News on Alpine Politics
Kaspar Schuler, CIPRA International
Point of view: European elections 2024: why a Swiss citizen would also like to vote
Switzerland’s referendum-based democracy has pitfalls of its own when it comes to environmental and climate policy. There needs to be an overarching corrective, such as neighbouring countries have in their constitutional courts and through the legal institutions of the EU, says Kaspar Schuler – as a Swiss citizen and Executive Director of CIPRA International.
Michael Gams, CIPRA International
Climate protection becomes a human right
A legal milestone for climate protection: on 9 April 2024, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled that Switzerland is violating the human rights of older women because the country is not doing what is necessary to combat global warming.
Nora Leszczynski, CIPRA International
The Youth Parliament to the Alpine Convention campaigns for Alpine protected areas
A limited number of entrance tickets for protected areas, the designation of infrastructure-free zones and an excursion to protected areas anchored in the curriculum: the 18th Youth Parliament to the Alpine Convention (YPAC) focused on Alpine nature reserves. For the first time, there was also an exchange with the CIPRA Youth Council.
Michael Gams, CIPRA International
The urban exodus and the climate
Many mountain regions in the Alps are affected by out-migration. However, climate change is also causing some people to migrate – at least temporarily – from the cities to the mountains, as an Italian research project shows.
Standpunkte der CIPRA
Point of view: Avoiding transport collapse together
As regards the growing volume of individual and transit traffic, it can be stated that neither regional nor national perspectives will lead to solutions. We have to find them together, because the Alps lie in the midst of Europe. This geographical truism is central to an understanding of transport policy problems in the Alps so as to avoid transport collapse, says Kaspar Schuler, Executive Director of CIPRA International.
Point of view: The Alps are not an endless source of energy!
Solar, wind and hydropower are helping us become less dependent on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas. This can also be done without sacrificing the last biodiversity hotspots in the Alps, says Isabella Helmschrott, Executive Director of CIPRA Switzerland.
Kathrin Holstein, CYC
Point of view: We need more young people in the Alps
Ageing, emigration and dying villages are typical problems for many mountain regions. It must therefore become attractive for young people to live in the Alps again, says Kathrin Holstein, member of CIPRA’s Youth Council and staff member of the Alliance in the Alps network of municipalities.