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More than 40 percent of the Alpine region is covered by forests. They are not only a defining feature of the landscape, but also a cornerstone of Alpine livelihood, providing building materials, supporting biodiversity, and delivering essential ecosystem services.
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More articles
Bernd Hauser | Zeitenspiegel | Copenhagen, DK
Alpine Convention: Sense and Sensuality
Climate change mitigation in construction and renovation is tantamount to providing for the future; it also makes economic sense. Better still, the Konstruktiv architecture award shows how sustainable construction can also become a sight for sore eyes. CIPRA co-initiated the award in order to publicise exemplary solutions. Imitations expressly permitted!
CIPRA Internationale Alpenschutzkommission | Schaan, LI
Climalp/“Alliance in the Alps”: Infected with good ideas
Ideas spread like viruses. They infect someone, who in turn infects someone else, and if they are good and strong, they spread like an epidemic. Energy-efficient construction is one such viral idea. On 14 September 2009 one could observe how it leapt from Vorarlberg to the French department of Savoie. Austria’s westernmost federal province is widely regarded as a centre for innovative timber construction. Concentrated here are a strikingly large number of architects, sawmills and carpenters who use wood as a traditional building material but in an ecologically advanced way – a large-scale workshop for creating a forest-sourced living environment.
CIPRA Internationale Alpenschutzkommission | Schaan, LI
Alliance of Central Asian Mountain Communities: Bridges across mountains
Sometimes the toughest challenges can be presented in the most tender way. On the plate in front of Antonio Zambon is a sheep’s head, braised for hours so that the meat is lovely and tender, eyes included. Expectantly, the Kyrgyz hosts watch their visitor from distant Italy. Quite a quandary. This rustic delicacy is not exactly to his taste; then again, the gesture is intended to honour him as the delegation’s oldest member.
CIPRA Internationale Alpenschutzkommission | Schaan, LI
cc.alps climate project: win-win with science
Swiss economic geographer Bruno Abegg has been working with CIPRA for three years. A scientist and a political organisation – how can that work? “It is a clash between two ways of thinking,” says the 45-year-old, which is precisely what he finds so exciting. As the scientific director of the cc.alps project he examines the way in which regions, communities and businesses in the Alps are responding to climate change. CIPRA campaigns to ensure that climate response measures are sustainable. “My research work has always been application-oriented,” says Abegg, “which is why it’s important to me that my findings flow into practical work for the environment.”
Events
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Webinar: The journey of water | online | |
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XIV European Mountain Convention | Sallanches / France | |
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Alps in Motion: new Alpine-wide Day of Action | alpswide | |
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Symposium 2: Vernacular Buildings in the Anthropocene | Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna (Austria) |
Projects
CIPRA International
Alpine Climate Action
[Project completed] From classic forms of political participation to creative methods of non-violent civil resistance: in four online workshops, young adults learn about a range of political engagement – and how they can use it to campaign for climate protection.
CIPRA International
Saving:Soils
[Project completed] With its project “Saving:Soils”, CIPRA is working for a trend reversal in the use of land in peri-urban areas in order to put scientific findings into practice, make pilot examples visible and encourage imitation.
CIPRA International
Alpine Convention - Sectoral development of the Green Economy in the Alpine region
[Project completed] Promoting environmentally sustainable growth while recognising ecological limits: the Green Economy is low-carbon, resource-efficient and socially inclusive. This form of economy preserves the Alpine ecosystem while making use of existing natural capital.