Slovenia
News, publications, press releases, positions... on this page you find current and alpine-relevant information from Slovenia.
New waste prevention initiatives in Europe
The City of Vienna has set up "Scarabeo 2004", the first ever European Youth Competition on Waste Prevention and Separation. Until May 15 young people from more than forty countries can submit projects on ways of preventing and separating waste. Read More…
Preserving priority areas of the Alps
At the UN Conference on Biological Diversity in Kuala Lumpur the WWF presented a study identifying 23 priority areas of the Alps. The alpine study in five languages was drawn up by the WWF, the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA), the Network of Alpine Protected Areas and the International Scientific Committee for Alpine Research (ISCAR) with the help of a hundred experts from 90 institutions and bodies. Read More…
"Green" holidays in the Alps for Dutch tourists
From this summer several Dutch tour operators, including the TUI subsidiary Holland International and the hiking and cycling holiday specialists SNP, are offering "Green Package Tours" to Switzerland and Austria. Read More…
Centre for nanotechnology in the French Alps
The first European network for nanobiotechnology, Nano2life, is being co-ordinated in Grenoble/F since February 2. So after Paris Grenoble is now the second largest research centre in France, with 18,200 people working in 200 laboratories. Read More…
The Role of NGOs in Mountain Regions
The conference book of the 2002 Yearly Symposium of the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA) in Schaan/Liechtenstein has just been published. Marking the occasion of CIPRA's 50th anniversary the Symposium focused on the role of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in mountain regions. Read More…
Minority languages of the Alps take to new media
In the past learning the Romansh language nearly always meant having to go through German. But since the end of last year Lia Rumantscha, the umbrella organisation for all Romansh associations, has posted an online English-Romansh dictionary called "myPledari" on the internet for free use. Read More…
Extended mountain stays are good for you
Mountain air has a beneficial effect also on patients with cardiovascular problems. The optimum effect is achieved at altitudes of 2000 metres above sea level and after a minimum stay of three weeks. Read More…
Natura 2000 List for EU mountain regions approved
The list of Natura 2000 protected areas in mountain regions of the EU was approved by the European Commission at the end of 2003. It covers 959 nature sites in the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Apennines and the Fennoscandian mountains, which under the Council Directive on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna are considered to be of European importance. Read More…
Third Arge-Alp book award
The Arbeitsgemeinschaft Alpenländer (Arge Alp) Working Group is to present its book award for the third time at the Arge Alp Book Festival on June 5, to be held in Trento/I, the Alpine Town of the Year 2004. Read More…
Questionnaire on best practice in protected area management
Experts and people working in protected areas are invited to take part in a questionnaire on best practice in protected area management. Read More…
Second international conference on interdisciplinary research into mountain areas
Young scientists now have an opportunity to take part in the second international conference on interdisciplinary research into mountain areas. The conference is to be held at the National Park Centre Stilfserjoch in Stilfs/Trafoi (I) from 29 September to 2 October 2004 and is organised jointly by the Stilfserjoch National Park, the European Academy in Bolzano and Innsbruck University. Read More…
International conference on matriarchy and mountains
On 13 and 14 December 2003 the Centro Multipolare per lo Sviluppo Sostenibile (multipolar centre for sustainable development) in Sardagna/I organised the 5th International Mountain Conference, with the theme of "Matriarchy and Mountains". Read More…
52nd International Mountain Film Festival
The 52nd International Film Festival on the subject of mountains, research and adventure is to be held in Trento/I, the 2004 Alpine Town of the Year, from 29 April to 9 May. Countries from all over the world are invited to submit films in the following categories: mountain films, films on alpinism, alpine landscape films, research films, sports and adventure films. Read More…
Poland ratifies Carpathian Convention
Poland ratified the framework convention for the protection and sustainable development of the Carpathians on 25 November. Read More…
Nepal: Sports event in aid of the local population
The Friendship Everest Skyrace was held for the first time in Nepal's Khumbu valley on 18 November. The event's main objective was to support the school in the remote village of Thame, and it attracted 150 competitors from Nepal and all over the world. Read More…
UNO confirms global warming poses threat to winter sports everywhere
According to a new study on the economic repercussions of the climate change on winter sports many low-altitude ski resorts are set to face financial difficulties or even bankruptcy due to global warming. The study was commissioned by the UN Environmental Program and presented at the World Conference on Sport and the Environment in Turin/I on 2 December. Read More…
First International Mountain Day on December 11
International Mountain Day is to be held worldwide for the first time on December 11. Its motto this year is "Mountains, Source of Freshwater". The UN decided to set up this special day following the resounding success of the International Year of Mountains in 2002. Read More…
A brochure on "nature-compatible winter tours"
Over the past few years nature-based winter activities have increased throughout the Alps. More and more these activities are spilling into regions which have hitherto been spared the impact of leisure tourism. In its new brochure entitled "Nature-compatible Winter Tours" the Club Arc Alpin (CAA), the umbrella organisation of the eight alpine associations operating throughout the Alps, offers simple, easy-to-apply tips for winter sports enthusiasts on how to adopt a proactive approach and prevent a negative impact on nature and the landscape. Read More…
Promoting produce from mountain regions
The "Mountain Group" of the Forestry Department at the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has announced a new research project. Between September 2003 and March 2004 examples of good practice from all over the world are to be collated and evaluated, focusing on instances where quality products from mountain regions contribute to strengthening the local economy without impacting on the environment. Read More…
Kailash: World heritage, not a destination for tourist convoys?
China is planning to build a road around the sacred Kailash mountain in Tibet in spring 2004. Surveyor's marks were already placed along the traditional pilgrimage route during the summer. Supporters of the Kailash initiative believe the Kailash mountain can only be genuinely protected if it is officially declared as a site on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Read More…
The Alps are becoming more and more of a theme park
On 29 November Coca-Cola AG inaugurated its Alpen Club Micky Maus in the ski resort of Arosa/CH. Read More…
Printed version of the monitoring study Agricultural Genetic Resources in the Alps now available
The Monitoring Institute for Rare Breeds and Seeds in Europe has just issued the printed version of its publication Agricultural Genetic Resources in the Alps. Read More…
Extensive documentation of the Earth's ground cover and vegetation
An extensive database of the Earth's ground cover and vegetation in 2000 is now available on the Internet (Global Landcover 2000). Read More…
New study on the development of alpine national parks
Volume 43 of the Münchner Studien zur Sozial- und Wirtschaftsgeographie [Munich Studies on Social and Economic Geography] features the findings of a research project on the regional economic significance of alpine national parks. Read More…
Pyrenean Convention to push ahead
The first step towards drawing up a Pyrenean Convention was taken at a meeting of government representatives chaired by Catalonia at Puigcerdà/E in July of this year. At the meeting representatives of the regions concerned (Languedoc-Roussillon/F, Midi-Pyrénées/F, Aquitaine/F, Navarre/E, Aragon/E, Basque Country/E, Catalonia/E and Andorra), which form the Pyrenees Working Group (Communauté de Travail des Pyrénées or CTP), drafted a joint declaration, which is now available online in French, Spanish and Catalonian. Read More…
New publication: EU Agricultural Policy and the Environment in the Alps
The Alpine Environment Department of the European Academy in Bolzano has just published a new work entitled The EU Agricultural Policy and the Environment - Evaluation of the Alpine Region. It looks at the connections between agricultural policy, agriculture and the environment in the Alps, all of which were analysed by an interdisciplinary team of researchers. Key issues raised include: In what alpine regions is the decline of agriculture particularly severe? Where are the centres of tourism located, and which regions have the highest population density? Read More…
EU nature protection database
Together with the European Topic Centre for Nature Protection and Biodiversity (ETC/NPB in Paris/F) and the European Environmental Information Observation Network (EIONET) the European Environmental Agency EEA has just published a new database with information on the protection of nature: EUNIS - European Nature Information System. Read More…
Merger of three "mountain organisations"
The three organisations Association Européenne des Elus de Montagne (AEM), Euromontana and the European Mountain Forum (EMF) have set up a committee of European mountain organisations called CLAME or Comité de liaison des associations de montagnes européennes. Read More…
Studies and conference on rail network extensions in the Alpine Rhine region
The A13/E43 network has commissioned a study in the border region between Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein with the following basic requirements for the future provision of public passenger transport services: Rail links to the large agglomerations in southern Germany and from the upper Rhine valley to the central areas of southern Germany and western Austria; expansion of the S-Bahn network in the region comprising eastern Switzerland, the eastern area of Lake Constance and the upper Rhine valley; development of tram/suburban railway systems such a half-hourly S-Bahn link between Feldkirch/A and Buchs/CH. Read More…
Italy: 2005 World Ski Championships a risk to national park
Preparations for the World Ski Championships in the upper Valtellina in 2005 are in upheaval. The projects for the resort of Santa Caterina Valfurva, which is to stage the women's races, have come under attack. Environmental associations believe that as the Santa Caterina Valfurva skiing region is situated in the Stilfserjoch National Park the environmental impact of the projects should be examined particularly thoroughly. Read More…