News
Survey on Intangible Alpine Cultural Heritage
The Italian Presidency of the Alpine Convention and the task force “Population and Culture” invite you to participate in a survey – the first step toward transalpine exchange on intangible Alpine heritage, particularly in the area of food culture.
Petition against oil companies in skiing
An oil giant as a premium partner: energy company ENI is sponsoring the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Athletes are now calling for a rethink in winter sports with the “Ski Fossil Free” petition.
Alps in Motion: new Alpine-wide Day of Action
The Alpine Fire is being reimagined. With Alps in Motion, CIPRA Switzerland and CIPRA International are launching an Alpine-wide Day of Action on 29 August 2026.
When nature loses, we all lose
The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the safety of our homes – all depend on strong environmental laws. Right now, those protections are under attack. Once they’re gone, we hand the keys of our future to those who see nature only as a resource to exhaust. In the EU, environmental laws are being gutted, under the promise of “simplification” of the legal system. But in reality, these changes will only profit greed, while endangering the lives of all.
[3 questions to … ] Francesca Pasetti Bombardella
2026 is the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP 2026) aimed at raising global awareness of the critical importance of rangelands and pastoralist communities, managed by FAO during the whole 2026. Francesca Pasetti Bombardella is co-chair of the Regional IYRP Support Group Europe.
Generational change at CIPRA International
After seven eventful years at the helm of CIPRA International, Kaspar Schuler is taking well-deserved retirement. His former deputy, Jakob Dietachmair, takes over as Executive Director, while Magdalena Holzer becomes the new Deputy Director. There are also changes at CIPRA Austria: Paul Kuncio is moving to CIPRA International as Policy Officer.
To learn more about local governance & quality of life in the Alps, to simply take part in the discussion, or to share your community's example ... Join us!
The Interreg Alpine Space project GOVQoL - Empowering local governance of Alpine communities for a better quality of life is pleased to invite you to a series of online seminars we will be organising in February and March 2026!
H2Opportunities: Working together for a sustainable future for Alpine water
Water is one of our most precious resources – and it is increasingly threatened by the climate crisis. The new CIPRA project “H2Opportunities” aims to share knowledge and initiate a dialogue on fair water management in the Alps.
Podcast series: People talk about the Via Alpina
A Belgian trail runner, a French filmmaker, a Swiss researcher and a mountain hut warden from Piedmont: a multilingual podcast series gives a voice to different people along the Via Alpina.
Learning from a region that spans four countries
From the Carpathians to the Alps: in mid-September 2025, partners in the Central Mountains project visited Feldkirch/A. The focus was on cross-border cooperation in tourism, spatial planning and youth participation.
Rethinking our mountains
Images from a youth retreat in the Alps: A summer weekend in an alpine hostel, ideas, thoughts, and plans arise around the glowing ashes of a campfire. Members of the CIPRA Youth Council meet in person in Imst-Pitztal to envision a better future for their beloved mountains.
The sound collector
Equipped with a microphone and a keen ear, Ludwig Berger explores the sounds of landscapes. This sound artist makes the climate crisis audible and opens up fascinating impressions, entering hidden sound worlds of the living and the transient.
International Mountain Camp in the French Alps
Nestled in the breathtaking landscape surrounding majestic Mont Blanc, an unforgettable international summer camp brought together young people from Liechtenstein, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Slovenia. More than just a hike through alpine trails, the camp was a celebration of connection, discovery, and real inclusion.
My Travel Diary - Walking. Thinking. Feeling. Sharing.
Your travel diary for slow travel
A journey through the endangered ice world of the Alps
The glaciers of the Alps are melting silently and inexorably. Since 2019, the “Glacier Caravan” has been making this loss visible, documenting the dramatic consequences of the climate crisis and calling for action. A guest article by Vanda Bonardo, President of CIPRA Italy and Head of Legambiente in the Italian Alps.
Responsible bivouacking
Bivouacking is becoming increasingly popular, but spending the night outdoors can be problematic, especially in sensitive Alpine regions. A new, free handbook from CIPRA provides guidance on environmentally friendly behaviour along the Via Alpina.
Climate crisis: solutions from nature
A recent report with CIPRA involvement shows how nature-based solutions can help to tackle the climate crisis across the Alps.
Innovation to counter emigration
Emigration and the brain drain in the Alpine region: a new EU project involving CIPRA aims to counteract this trend. It is testing innovative governance models to strengthen mountain regions and create a win-win situation for regions of origin, destinations and young emigrants.
Point of view: Holidays have a lasting impact
Holidays mean time out, a change of scenery, relaxation. But where and how we spend our holidays doesn’t just affect us; it also has an impact on other people, regions, the climate and nature. Magdalena Holzer, project manager at CIPRA International, is convinced that travelling is a decision that brings with it with great responsibility.
Creative spaces for change
Inspire and empower: culture plays an essential role in the transition to an environmentally and socially just society. The second international meeting of the Erasmus+ project CultureAlps in Rovereto, Italy, at the end of March showed exactly what this can look like.
YOALIN wins climate competition
CIPRA’s project received the Clima Now Foundation’s Spotlight Prize, worth CHF 50,000. YOALIN is committed to climate-friendly travel.
Visiting “Utopias” all over the Alps
In 2024, the Via Alpina Youth project inspired young people across the Alps for social, cultural and everyday utopias of sustainability – but above all for shared adventures in the mountains.
Microplastics in the Alps
Plastic pollution continues to threaten our health and our most precious landscapes. The latest findings show that microplastics can even be found on the highest Alpine peaks.
An end to snowmobiles and heliskiing
In France, snowmobile tours are now officially banned in the Chamrousse ski resort; other areas could soon follow suit. In Austria, environmental organisations are calling for an end to heliskiing.
The battle for Alpine water
A revival of the hydropower boom: 70 years ago, many Alpine rivers were dammed for the benefit of power stations, while valuable high valleys were built over. Today, new requirements are threatening their ecological functions. In view of the dwindling glaciers and increasing utilisation demands, a distribution battle is looming.
Protecting Alpine biodiversity
In September 2024, CIPRA launched two innovative Interreg projects: LiveAlpsNature and AlpsLife. These projects are helping to protect biodiversity in the Alps and meet the growing challenges posed by the climate crisis and intensive tourism.
Getting stones rolling
Workshops, excursions, art cards, podcasts: the results of the CIPRA “SteinReich” project, which focused on drystone walls and cairns, are diverse and tangible.
Point of view: Let’s prioritise youth over tourism
We want young people to stay on the land, but the demands of tourism, high property prices and the landscape as an object of speculation make this difficult. We talk about the fight against the climate and biodiversity crisis, all while shopping centres and business parks are being built in the countryside. Environmental protection and solutions to the housing crisis should be prioritised, as this would also be in the interests of young people, says Dijana Čataković from CIPRA Slovenia. She asks: Who else will be able to live in the Alps and afford to live there?
AlpWeek 2024: time for action
A look back, a look forwards: twenty years after the first AlpWeek, the eighth edition of the international conference brought over 200 people to Nova Gorica/SL to discuss what is important in the development of the Alpine region.
Alpine huts: the first victims of the climate crisis?
Water shortages, disintegrating mountains and renovation needs: managing Alpine huts has always been difficult, but the climate crisis is making the situation even worse. The Austrian Alpine Association has already issued an “Emergency call from the Alps”.