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.
New publications on transport in the Alpine area
Three publications on the outcomes of the latest study initiatives on transport in mountain regions have been recently published by the European Academy EURAC in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of the Environment. Read More…
Further support for the Alpine ecological network
CIPRA, the Alpine network of protected areas, ISCAR and the WWF have been involved in the "Ecological Continuum" project for the establishment of an ecological network covering the entire Alpine region since 2007. Read More…
Alpine region carbon-neutral by 2050
At the 10th Alpine Conference in Evian/F in March 2009 a climate action plan was adopted, which set itself the goal of making the Alpine region a model for prevention and adjustment to climate change. Read More…
First carbon-footprint calculation for a ski school
The carbon footprint of a ski school in France has been measured for the first time. Read More…
European Agro-Biodiversity Day
The European Agro-biodiversity Day (EAD) will take place on 29th September 2009 under the motto "Arca-Net - the European Ark Network". Read More…
New documentation on ecological networks in Europe
The KEN Projekt (Knowledge for ecological networks - Catalyzing the involvement of stakeholders in the implementation of ecological networks in Europe), carried out by six project partners, came to an end. Read More…
Energy-efficient buildings under discussion
The Director of the Passive House Institute in Darmstadt/Germany, Wolfgang Feist, and the Director of the ClimateHouse Agency in Bolzano/I, Norbert Lantschner, have responded to questions about energy-efficient construction in interviews. Read More…
Alps insight: Schengen for Flora and Fauna
CIPRA's Alps insight No. 90 (formerly CIPRA Info) "Schengen for Flora and Fauna" is devoted to the topic of biotope networking. Read More…
Master in Sustainable Mountain Development
The new degree programme "MSc Managing Sustainable Mountain Development" begins at Perth College/UK in August 2009. Read More…
History of the Alps now also in English
Jon Mathieu's book entitled in German Geschichte der Alpen, 1500-1900: Umwelt, Entwicklung und Gesellschaft is now available in an English translation. Read More…
Feasibility of Alpine Crossing Exchange to be examined at the European level
The transport ministers of Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Germany, France and Slovenia have commissioned an in-depth analysis relating to the introduction of the Alpine Crossing Exchange. At a meeting of the ministers in Vienna/A a body was entrusted with clarifying the preconditions for the implementation of the three traffic management systems, specifically the Alpine Crossing Exchange, the emissions trading scheme and "Toll plus". Read More…
A European League for renewable energies
The RES Champions League is a network of national renewable energy leagues and also a competition for renewable energies between European cities, towns and villages, which was launched on 23 April 2009 at the annual meeting of Énergie-Cités and the Climate Alliance. Read More…
European Day of Parks 2009
The European Day of Parks is to take place on and around May 24, as it does every year. Read More…
EU Parliament agrees to ratify Transport Protocol
At the end of April 2009 the European Parliament agreed to the ratification of the Alpine Convention's Transport Protocol. Read More…
Manifesto for sustainable building
The KlimaHaus Agentur in Bolzano/I is calling for the signing of the "Manifesto for Sustainable Building". Read More…
400 European municipalities committed to climate change issues
400 European towns, cities and municipalities have signed the Covenant of Mayors. Read More…
"RiskPlan" facilitates risk management
The "RiskPlan" analysis software was developed by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Protection (FOCP) and presented as part of the AdaptAlp Project (Adaptation to Climate Change in the Alpine Space). Read More…
A guide to the Alpine Convention
The Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention recently published a book in five languages (de, en, fr, it, sl) entitled The Alps: Eight Countries, A Single Territory. Read More…
Awards for six sustainable tourism projects
During its presidency of the Alpine Convention France is focusing on sustainable tourism. Read More…
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. Read More…
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. Read More…
Resolution of Bolzano
"During this conference CIPRA expressed its strong expectations with regard to the outcome of the 15th Conference of the Contracting Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Copenhagen in December 2009. Further more, CIPRA calls upon the governments of the Alpine countries and upon those of the main industrialised countries, to show extraordinary commitment to achieve a distinct acceleration in climate change prevention policies at the global meeting in Copenhagen, in the light of new evidence and the confirmation of the seriousness of the phenomenon." Read More…
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. Read More…
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". Read More…
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. Read More…
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. Read More…
Action Plan on Climate Change in the Alps
The Action Plan following the Ministers' Declaration of Alpbach rests on the joint commitments taken by the Alpine countries which fall under the Framework Convention on climate change and the Kyoto Protocol. This Action Plan is part of the ongoing discussions to reach a comprehensive and ambitious post-2012 agreement and takes into account the commitments made in this regard by the European Union. Its aim is to go beyond the general framework to offer concrete measures that are specific to the Alps by promoting, both in terms of mitigation and adaptation, themes and measures that could be the subject of regional co-operations in the frame of the Alpine Convention, and by taking into account actions that are already in place on a national, regional and local level. The Action Plan on Climate contributes to both the global effort aiming at reducing greenhouse effect following international commitments by the Contracting Parties and to the quality of life of Alpine populations for present and future generations. Read More…
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. Read More…
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. Read More…
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. Read More…