News
CIPRA's point of view: Alpine Convention: Italy says yes but Switzerland still says no
Italy, surprisingly, has ratified eight of nine protocols of the Alpine Convention. Only Switzerland has yet to sign up. We do not need the protocols, stated the Swiss Federal Council recently - Swiss policy is, in its view, more sustainable than in any other Alpine country.
Work begins on Semmering Tunnel
The authorisation proceedings have yet to be concluded, but the excavators are already on the move for the building of the Semmering rail tunnel. Austrian politicians have given the project the green light, ignoring loud protests and empty state coffers.
Alps overrun by traffic
Never before have such large quantities of goods been transported through Switzerland as in 2011. The title of "Transit Route Number 1", however, goes to the Brenner Pass.
Lyon-Turin: Environment Ministry gives bad marks
Criticism of the planned Lyon-Turin rail line is growing: environmental organisations have rejected the megaproject, as has the conservative UMP party in Savoy. The French Environment Ministry is now also expressing doubts.
Are XXL trucks coming to the Alps next?
The European Union is seeking advice on authorising "gigaliners". These 25-metre trucks are intended to promote climate protection - at the expense of rail transport and infrastructure.
From road to rail - getting it to work
Crossing Exchange, emissions trading or a differentiated toll system for the Alps: these transport policy instruments could ensure that in future there are fewer HGVs trucking through the Alps - providing the instruments apply to the Alpine region as a whole.
First solar-powered bus now on the road
Since July Europe's first ever electric bus powered exclusively by solar energy has been operating in Perchtoldsdorf/A. The public transport bus seats up to 35 passengers.
Eurovignette III: no HGV toll for the Alps
In the future haulage companies in the EU could have to pay for environmental damage. The EP Transport Committee has agreed to the proposal. But environmental organisations feel the proposal does not go far enough - especially in the Alps.
cc.alps showcases future mobility in the Alps
In September CIPRA focused on the issue of sustainable mobility and transport as part of cc.alps and co-organised two events on these topics.
Calm and collected in a heated discussion: Pascale Poblet, CCP Project Manager "There's no stress involved in travelling by bus or by bike."
With a commuter plan that encourages the use of modes of transport other than cars the STMicroelectronics and ST-Ericsson site in Grenoble/F is committed to eco- and climate-friendly mobility. For this initiative the company was awarded one of the cc.alps competition prizes worth 10,000 euros. Pascale Poblet, CCP (Company Commuter Plan) Project Manager, explains why the company's workforce is in such great shape and why the company's kitty has benefited as a result.
New platform for tourism by electrobike
In mid-April, the ExtraEnergy association started the web site "Tourism and Electric Bikes". An interactive map provides information about various tour packages for electrobikers. The web site additionally provides useful information for holiday planning.
Linking-up the German roads for animals and for a better traffic safety
The German Government is developing a National Connectivity Programme which foresees to build wild animal crossings at the most important sites of migrating corridors. This year the first systematic research on ecological corridors in Germany has been finished, representing an important scientific groundwork for the implementation of the Programme.
New compacts on Transport and Spatial Planning now online
The assessments of climate response measures for the areas of Transport and Spatial Planning have been available online since the end of February. Both background reports (or "compacts") can be downloaded from www.cipra.org/en/cc.alps (de, en).
The new CIPRA compacts Traffic and Spatial Planning are on-line
The results of the climate protection measures taken in the areas of 'Traffic' and 'Spatial Planning' are now accessible on-line. At www.cipra.org/en/cc.alps (de/en) both of the background reports - so-called 'CIPRA compacts' - 'Traffic and Climate Change' and 'Spatial Planning and Climate Change' can be downloaded.
New publications on transport in the Alpine area
Three publications on the outcomes of the latest study initiatives on transport in mountain regions have been recently published by the European Academy EURAC in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of the Environment.
First carbon-footprint calculation for a ski school
The carbon footprint of a ski school in France has been measured for the first time.
Feasibility of Alpine Crossing Exchange to be examined at the European level
The transport ministers of Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Germany, France and Slovenia have commissioned an in-depth analysis relating to the introduction of the Alpine Crossing Exchange. At a meeting of the ministers in Vienna/A a body was entrusted with clarifying the preconditions for the implementation of the three traffic management systems, specifically the Alpine Crossing Exchange, the emissions trading scheme and "Toll plus".
EU Parliament agrees to ratify Transport Protocol
At the end of April 2009 the European Parliament agreed to the ratification of the Alpine Convention's Transport Protocol.
Switzerland says No to "gigaliners"
Environmental associations have launched a campaign against the introduction of "gigaliners" on Switzerland's roads. The country's Bundesrat [Federal Council] has already clearly rejected the "monster trucks".
Alpine Crossing
The "Alpine Pearls" co-operation venture is organising a "softly mobile" winter trip through the Pearls of the Alps between 19 and 30 January 2009 - specially for members of the press.
ACCESS: Improving the provision of basic services
ACCESS, the transnational project, was launched in Genoa/I at the end of October. Its objective is to improve the provision of basic public services in rural mountain regions using innovations in organisation.
EU Greening Transport Package
On 8 July the Commission of the European Union presented a package comprising various initiatives for environment-friendly and sustainable transport. The package includes a strategy for internalisation of external costs in the transport sector, a proposal for a Directive on road tolls for lorries, and proposals for reducing the perceived noise from rail freight trains.
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.
Report on the State of the Alps focuses on transport and mobility
At the end of November the Secretary General of the Alpine Convention, Marco Onida, presented the first part of the Report on the State of the Alps. The Report is now available not just in English but also in German, French, Italian and Slovenian.
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.
European Commission adopts measures to promote freight traffic
On 18 October the European Commission adopted a series of measures aimed at boosting the efficiency, integration and sustainability of freight transport within the Union.
Interreg III B projects MONITRAF and ALPNAP
Transport across the Alps is at the centre of the Final Conference of the Interreg III B projects MONITRAF and ALPNAP, which have been running since 2005. The Conference is entitled "Transport across the Alps. Approaches and common measures for sustainable transport development in the Alpine region".
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.
International workshop series "Disseminating Knowledge - Networking People" Transport and visitor management in mountain areas
On May 10 and 11 CIPRA International and CIPRA Slovenia organised a workshop on the topic of "Transport and Visitor Management in Mountain Areas". It became clear already with the first contributions that there are no straightforward answers when it comes to the relationship between transport development and regional development. There are areas of the Alps which do well economically despite being difficult to access.