France
News, publications, press releases, positions... on this page you find current and alpine-relevant information from France.
Sustainable building from the Arctic circle to the Mediterranean
Attractive public buildings, built of wood and stone to passive house standards: this is how the schools and community centres of the future will look. With its 35 pilot buildings the MountEE project is putting sustainable building into practice in different climate zones. Read More…
Victory for landscape protection
The controversial application to build a wind farm on the Sattelberg near the Brenner Pass was rejected in a final appeal heard by the Italian Council of State in Rome. Read More…
New models for a better life
The western economic model consumes the natural resources of three planet Earths. And it is spreading to developing countries – we are their role model. Read More…
Reducing road traffic is a long distance race
We face many problems relating to excess traffic, especially in cities. It causes air pollution and noise, and hampers land use. Read More…
Working together for the future of the Alps
In terms of policymaking for the Alps, 2014 was an eventful year. The stage was set for the development of a macro-regional Alpine strategy to find transnational solutions to problems encountered throughout the Alpine space and develop innovative projects specifically targeted at the Alps, and progress was made in defining the terms of reference. Read More…
Sustainable transport policy for an improved quality of life
On Liechtenstein’s doorstep, in the Austrian town of Feldkirch, the planning process is currently underway for a gigantic road construction project in the form of the Feldkirch Urban Tunnel. Read More…
How much protection for protected areas?
The Alps are a bastion of biodiversity, a function that will become even more important in the future as rising temperatures endanger the survival of many species at lower altitudes. Read More…
New format, new content
In 2014, CIPRA Italy created a new format for work on its territory: a Development Workshop for the Alps. Read More…
AlpStore Projects - Case Studies
In AlpStore, 19 partners from all 7 Alpine countries investigated the short, medium and long term requirements for both stationary and mobile energy storages. They tested storages that need to be available all the time as well as others such as the batteries of electric vehicles, which may be disconnected from the power grid for a while. They used a wide range of technologies, such as biogas and hydrogen. They tested second life batteries and developed communication strategies and actively involved local citizens. This set of 12 case studies shall give an insight in the technologies, their availability and potential use cases. Partners of the local pilot applications share their findings, results and experiences. That shall allow a broad range of practitioners and planners to gain better understanding of how energy storage systems work and how they can help secure the prosperity of the Alpine Space. Read More…
White Book - Smart Storage and Mobility (STORM)
The Whitebook builds on the results of Alp-Store at about half time of the project. At the time of its publication AlpStore partners are in the midst of their research and deployment activities. Final guidelines of the project will be published in early 2015. They will describe the ultimate findings and give guidance to local and regional authorities, regional energy utilities and Investors. Nonetheless, it is worthwhile to use the information given in this Whitebook to structure the discussion process. Moreover, chapter 9.3 contains “Short-term non-regret options for players in Alpine regions”. Read More…
Smart Storage and Mobility - Guidelines for Regional Decision Makers
In AlpStore, 19 partners from all 7 Alpine countries investigated the short, medium and long term requirements for both stationary and mobile energy storage. They tested storage that needs to be available all the time as well as others such as the batteries of electric vehicles, which may be disconnected from the power grid for a while. They used a wide range of technologies, such as biogas and hydrogen. They tested second life batteries and developed communication strategies and actively involved local citizens. Now, it is time to share their findings, results and experiences from the implemented pilot applications to contribute to a better understanding of how storage works and how they can help secure the prosperity of the Alpine Space. Read More…
Connecting Mountains, people, nature - shaping the framework for an efficient european biodiversity policy for the alps
How successful are biodiversity policies, strategies and projects at connecting humans and nature in the Alps? The greenAlps project surveyed how efficient and effective nature conservation instruments are from the European to the municipal level. Our ultimate goal is to stimulate pro-nature governance change in Alpine countries. Read More…
Staking a claim for nature - Policy recommendations for the alpine space
The policy recommendations in this document highlight some of the gaps that have to be filled and needs that have to be met in order to implement successful nature protection measures. Moreover, they underline the huge impact that political situations have on nature conservation. Read More…
Expo: Musicians crossing borders
On Sunday, 7 June 2015, the curtain will rise on 123 talented singers and musicians from Italy, France and Slovenia, some of them with special needs! Two orchestras and a women's choir from three Alpine countries will perform together for the very first time at the Expo 2015 in Milan. Their music will conquer language barriers, unite different experiences and reveal the diversity and creativity of the Alpine space. Read More…
Getting the modal shift moving
Austria gives the green light for the construction of a controversial rail tunnel. At the same time, the Swiss Federal Office for Transport has published two reports that suggest that the modal shift of goods onto rail can succeed even without large infrastructure projects. Read More…
Young voices at the Expo
Giving a voice to mountains all over the world – this is the idea behind the theme week on mountain areas being staged at the World Expo in Milan. CIPRA is there too, with brave young people and a very special concert. Read More…
Initiating change for a good life in the Alps
What does it take to ensure a good life in the Alps? What social and political changes are necessary? Answers will be provided at the annual CIPRA Conference to be held on 25 and 26 September 2015 in Ruggell, Liechtenstein. Read More…
Point of view: Making the Alpine Convention more interactive
The effectiveness of the Alpine Convention is often called into question. A new approach could help reposition it as an engine of co-operation and sustainable development in the Alpine regions, says Claire Simon, Executive Director of CIPRA International. Read More…
The real treasure of the Alps
A Swiss energy producer is to receive a prize for finding a successful compromise between the protection and use of water: while the head of the Upper Allgäu district authority has approved the building of a small power plant in a protected area over the head of his own officials. Two examples of the tension existing between conservation and the energy transition. Read More…
Energy & nature in the Alps: a balancing act. - Perpetual Calendar
This perpetual calendar explains the main project findings, in particular to decision-makers from local to Alps-wide level. It takes readers through the decision-making process that the fictional town of “Alpine Vale” goes through when discussing the potential use of renewable energy. Read More…
Energy and nature in the Alps: a balancing act
The Alps offer great potential for renewable energy production. But this simultaneously increases the pressure on nature. The partners in the international recharge.green project have found ways to ensure this balancing act succeeds. They will be presenting their results at the final conference to be held on 20-21 May 2015 in Sonthofen, Germany. Read More…
Newsletter alpMedia
Concise, relevant, all over the Alps: In its monthly newsletter alpMedia CIPRA informs about the primary topics from the Alps. It presents selected events, CIPRA’s point of view and an amusing fun facts. AlpMedia is published in German, French, Italian and Slovenian. Every two months, there is a best-of in English. With over 16'000 subscribers alpMedia is one of the most widely read newsletters about the Alps. Read More…
New French policy for the mountains
Thirty years ago, France passed a special law for its mountain areas. It is now undergoing a review. Here is a summary of the most significant amendments. Read More…
Ski lifts in Italy to become liable for tax
The Supreme Court in Italy has now ruled that cable cars and chair lifts do not count as public transport, meaning that municipal tax on real estate is therefore now payable. The judgment has led to uproar in ski resorts. Read More…
Strange but true...
…Are beavers really just great big clumsy rodents? Read More…
CIPRA: in pursuit of harmony on diversity
Animals and plants have to migrate in order to reproduce. That involves crossing land that is also used by human beings. In its 2014 Annual Report, CIPRA shows how animals, plants and people all benefit from networking within the natural environment. Read More…
Our green lungs are running out of air
Animals and plants have to migrate in order to reproduce. That involves crossing land used by human beings. Ecological networking therefore needs the support of a variety of stakeholders. CIPRA brings them together. Read More…
Alpine Rhine Valley Green Belt
[Project completed] Read More…
Youthful ideas for “My Green Alps”
What will it take for residents of the Alps to take responsibility for their own habitat? Participants of the Youth Parliament of the Alpine Convention provided some answers at Kamnik in Slovenia. Read More…
