News from the Alps

Snow levels depend on more than just altitude
New results by the Austrian research project STRATEGE show that snow levels do not necessarily depend on altitude. In precipitation scenarios relating to climate change, researchers found that other factors such as the micro climate, relief and exposure of the locations concerned also had to be considered.
Alpweek 2008 - Innovating [in] the Alps
Alpweek 2008 - Innovating [in] the Alps
The second edition of the Alpweek is being held in the Pays des Ecrins/F from 11 to 14 June 2008, with players from throughout the Alpine region discussing issues of sustainable development. After the positive experiences of the 2004 Alpweek in Kranjska Gora/SI the major Alpine networks ISCAR, CIPRA, Alliance in the Alps, ALPARC and Club Arc Alpin decided to repeat the event in 2008.
EU warming to the idea of an Alpine transit exchange
For some time now Switzerland's Bundesrat [Federal Council] has been wanting to push ahead with relocating freight-related transit traffic from the road to the rail by creating an Alpine transit exchange. Transit quotas for freight on the road could then be auctioned from the exchange.
Green Paper on urban mobility
The European Commission's new Green Paper entitled "Towards a new culture for urban mobility" looks at the mobility and ecology of European towns and cities. In Europe a good 60% of the population lives in urban areas. Just under 85% of the EU's gross domestic product is generated in those areas.