Austria
News, publications, press releases, positions... on this page you find current and alpine-relevant information from Austria.
Articles, publications, press releases, CIPRA positions - here you find relevant information on alpine topics from Germany. Please check the other language versions in german, french, italian and slovene for more content.
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. Read More…
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. Read More…
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. Read More…
"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". Read More…
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. Read More…
Factsheet to the „Eurovignette III“
The International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA International) very much welcomes the fact that the EU now intends to set a course that reflects the true costs of transport and is taking a first step by amending Directive 2006/38/EC ("Eurovignette III"). The Directive must also relieve the burden on the Alpine region, which is particularly sensitive ecologically and whose population has to bear particularly high external costs; it must also contribute more to sustainability in freight transport. One important step is a sound directive on transport infrastructure costs, i.e. one that includes the efficient and consistent allocation of all relevant costs. Everyone stands to benefit from its success: the population, with a healthier, safer and better quality of life, and the transport industry, with more reliable transit routes. Indeed, the risks affect the local population as much as they affect those travelling through. Read More…
2018 Olympics - How green are France's candidatures?
Four French towns are bidding to stage the 2018 Winter Olympics: Read More…
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". Read More…
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. Read More…
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. Read More…
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. Read More…
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. Read More…
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. Read More…
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. Read More…
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. Read More…
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. Read More…
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. Read More…
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). Read More…
€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. Read More…
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. Read More…
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. Read More…
Rhône Glacier to melt away by 2100
Scientists at the Écoles Polytechniques Fédérales de Lausanne/CH and Zurich/CH have used complex computer simulations to predict that the Rhône Glacier in the Canton of Valais/CH will have disappeared by 2100. Read More…
Early warning system for water scarcity in the Alps
The kick-off for the cross-border project "ALP-WATER-SCARCE: Water Management Strategies against Water Scarcity in the Alps" took place in Annecy/F in mid-October as part of the INTERREG Alpine Space Programme. Read More…
Protected areas in the EU lacking in quality
According to a report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) more than half of the protected species and habitats in the EU are under pressure. Worldwide, just under 17,000 species are on the Red List, i.e. threatened by extinction. Read More…
Latest issue of the Journal of Alpine Research
The latest publication in the bilingual series Journal of Alpine Research comprises four specialist articles on different topical issues. The first feature deals with the rivalry for public commodities, illustrated with the specific example of an irrigation system in northern Italy. Read More…
Solar thermal power plant in the French Hautes-Alpes
The energy companies Dalkia and Solar Euromed have joined forces and plan to build the first solar thermal power plant in France. The plant is to be built in Chevalet d'Aspres sur Buech and will generate some 60,000 megawatt-hours of electricity. Read More…
Mountain Research Initiative launches new Newsletter
The first issue of MRI NEWS has just been published. The Mountain Research Initiative (MRI) newsletter will be sent out by e-mail in English twice a year and is entirely given over to research on Global Change in mountain areas. Read More…