Germany

News, publications, press releases, positions... on this page you find current and alpine-relevant information from Germany.

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.

"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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…