News
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.
"Cool heads in the hothouse! - Acting with Awareness in the Face of Climate Change"
On 2 and 3 April 2009 the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA) and the municipality of Bolzano/I is organising an international conference entitled "Cool Heads in the Hothouse! - Acting with Awareness in the Face of Climate Change".
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.
Projects on transnational networking in the area of natural hazards
AdaptAlp, a recently launched EU project, looks at climate response measures and the evaluation of natural hazards. The work on strategies and proposed solutions aimed at coping with the impact of climate change is to provide the basis for more intensive international co-operation in natural hazard management.
ECONNECT: Nature without limits
The kick-off for the EU project "ECONNECT - Restoring the web of life" took place in Vienna/A on 4 and 5 November. Over the next three years sixteen partners and four observers from all the Alpine States will be working to implement an ecological network across state borders and the confines of protected areas.
Protected areas in the EU lacking in quality
According to a report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) more than half of the protected species and habitats in the EU are under pressure. Worldwide, just under 17,000 species are on the Red List, i.e. threatened by extinction.
Latest issue of the Journal of Alpine Research
The latest publication in the bilingual series Journal of Alpine Research comprises four specialist articles on different topical issues. The first feature deals with the rivalry for public commodities, illustrated with the specific example of an irrigation system in northern Italy.
EU measures on climate change
When the time comes for the new European Commission to take office in 2009, it is possible that the EU will appoint a Commissioner for Climate Change, according to the environmental news service ENDS Europe Daily.
Biodiversity and climate change as subjects for transnational co-operation
The Alpine Space Programme established in the framework of the INTERREG IVB European Community Initiative Programme is being used to fund a dozen new projects.
Modifications to Alpine plant communities
A recent French study into 171 woodland plants in temperate regions shows how plant species have already adjusted to climate change, with a significant upward shift in species optimum elevation averaging 29 meters per decade in response to rising global temperatures.
New World Heritage sites in the Alps
In July the UNESCO World Heritage Committee added another 27 cultural and natural sites to the World Heritage List, including three located in the Alpine region, namely the Swiss Tectonic Arena Sardona with the Glarus overthrust, the cross-border (CH/I) Rhaetian Railway in the Albula/Bernina Landscapes and the fortifications of Vauban in France.
European regions calling for a green paper for mountain regions
The Committee of the Regions (CoR) is calling for the European Commission to deliver a green paper on development for the mountain regions, with such fields as economic and structural funds, employment policy, nature protection, civil defence, the environment and energy policy, and also transport and agricultural policies combined in an integrated approach that does justice to the special character of the mountain regions.
Alps and Carpathians pulling together for biological diversity
On 29 May, the representatives of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, the Alpine Convention and the Carpathian Convention agreed to intensify collaboration in the field of nature protection and signed a memorandum of co-operation to that effect.
More winter passengers handled by France's Alpine airports
Passenger volumes at the airports in Grenoble-Isère/F and Chambéry-Savoie/F increased by 7% and 20% respectively in the 2007/2008 winter season. In the last two years, Grenoble-Isère has had the highest rates of growth in passenger totals of all French airports.
EU Structural Fund with negative environmental impacts
More than two thirds of the projects financed with the help of the European Union's Structural Fund have effects that are contrary to EU environmental policy objectives.
Ecological networks in the Alps at the 9th Conference on Biological Diversity
More than 5,000 participants are expected in Bonn/D at the end of May for the 9th Conference of the Contracting Parities to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
New alpine Natura 2000 regions
In spring 2008 a whole range of new alpine Natura 2000 regions were included in the EU-wide network of protected areas Natura 2000 and published in an updated list.
EU Green Paper on Mountain Regions
The EU is planning to begin work on drawing up a Green Paper on EU policy on mountain regions this September. In doing so it accedes to a demand expressed by mountain regions over many years and takes an important step towards acknowledging the special status of mountain regions.
Freight traffic in Europe: costs and alternatives
The European Commission has just released a handbook on the internationalisation of external costs in the transport sector. The handbook features proven methods for estimating and monetising the costs caused by air pollution, noise, climate change, congestion and accidents.
Laser scanner to protect against floods
As part of the EU-sponsored research project FloodScan the German Land of Bavaria is to be photographed and surveyed from the air using laser scanners.
New publication on alpine landscapes
The December 2007 issue of the bilingual La revue de géographie alpine / Journal of Alpine Research focuses on the Forum Alpinum held in April 2007, which was dedicated to the topic of landscape development in mountain areas.
Agricultural genetic resources of the Alps
The final report of the project "Continuous Monitoring of Agricultural Genetic Resources of the Alps: The Alpine Delphi" was published at the end of 2007. The project was conducted by the Monitoring Institute for Rare Breeds and Seeds in Europe in co-operation with the SAVE Foundation.
New issue of the Journal of Alpine Research
The latest publication in the series Journal of Alpine Research features four specialist articles addressing different issues. However they all focus on the landscape and the way in which it is changing.
New UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in mountain areas
A total of 23 selected regions and protected areas from 18 countries are to join the global network of biosphere reserves. The decision was taken in Paris at the conference of the International Co-ordinating Council of UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB).
Luc Hoffmann honoured for his life's work as a conservationist
The 2007 Environmental Award of the European Nature Heritage Fund goes to Switzerland's Luc Hoffmann in recognition of his life's work as a prominent nature conservationist and nature heritage patron.
Status report on the lynx in the Alps
The Alpine countries have updated their information on the status and distribution of lynx populations on their respective territories for the period 2000 to 2004. The findings are summarised in a new report as part of SCALP (Status and Conservation of the Alpine Lynx Population).
Proceedings of the "Ecological Network" platform and ForumAlpinum 07
Germany's Federal Agency for Nature Conservation is presenting a brochure on the inaugural meeting of the Ecological Network Platform under the Alpine Convention. The meeting was held in Munich/D on 29 March 2007 under the heading "Establishing an Alpine Ecological Network".
Europe's highest toilets
This summer two public toilets were installed at an altitude of 4 260 m on the French side of the Mont Blanc. Every year some 30,000 climbers head up the Alps's highest mountain.
Successful environmental campaign aimed at protecting the Alps
On August 11 some 40 "high fires" burned throughout the alpine region to draw attention to a sustainable future for the Alps. Fires were lit in Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Italy and Kyrgyzstan as a symbol of a better quality of life in the alpine region.
Mountain Wilderness: 20 years of mountain protection work worldwide
The mountain protection organisation Mountain Wilderness celebrated its 20th anniversary on 31 July and 1 August with an ascent of Mont Dolent in the Mont Blanc mountain range.