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Landmark NEAT Project under pressure to cut costs

According to the Swiss Federal Office for Transport total costs of Switzerland's "New Alps Transversal Route" (NEAT) are likely to be CHF 302 m higher than calculated in the summer, due essentially to geological fault zones, uncertainties about the planned route and costly rail securing techniques.

Are the Alps fit for the future? "Future in the Alps" project gets underway

At the Alpine Week 2004 in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA) presented its new project entitled "Future in the Alps", a broad-based project aimed at promoting sustainable development in the alpine region.

Greater co-operation to protect against natural hazards

Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein intend to co-operate even more closely to protect against natural hazards in the Alps. This decision was taken by the four German-language Environmental Ministers at this year's meeting in Potsdam/D. The Ministers concurred that natural catastrophes in the Alps were likely to occur more and more often despite all the efforts being made with regard to climate protection.

The Emmen valley - The vision of a valley heated without oil

Timber and solar energy rather than oil, gas and electricity are to be the heating resources of the future in Switzer-land's Emmen valley. Although the Emmen valley region is densely forested, each year it still buys in some CHF 30 m's worth of oil, gas and electricity - while more than half the wood accruing each year simply rots away in the region's forests. It's a situation the "Oil of Emmental" project hopes to remedy.

Hydrogen-powered piste vehicles in the Alps

The Swiss association Swiss Alps 3000 has launched a new campaign aimed at zero-emissions mobility in the Alps. As part of the campaign it presented the prototype of a hydrogen-powered piste vehicle. The first vehicle of this type was tested during winter 2003/2004.

King Albert I Memorial Foundation Award

For the sixth time now the King Albert I Memorial Foundation presented awards for outstanding achievements in connection with the mountains of the world at Pontresina/CH on 11 September 2004.

Ultra-low energy building gains altitude

The highest ultra-low energy business premises of the Alps were officially opened in Punt Muragl (En-gadine/Switzerland) at the end of August. Gasser Building Materials' 23,000 m3 warehouse with integrated DIY store is situated at an altitude of 1,728 m above sea level and is heated almost exclusively by solar energy.

Environment Award of Switzerland

For the fifth time already the Pro Aqua-Pro Vita Foundation is organising its Environment Award of Switzerland. The Award is open to private individuals, companies and institutions from all countries, and the closing deadline is 15 December.

Switzerland: internet timetable for mountain enthusiasts

The Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) has posted a new German and French internet page at www.alpenonline.ch , to help mountaineers plan their tours.

Restriction on new holiday homes

In future all new properties built in Zermatt/CH must have a principal residence share of 30%. This measure is designed to prevent Zermatt becoming a ghost town during the off-season.

St Moritz: the AlpenAkademie and a tourism, energy and agriculture alliance

The Swiss region of Engadine/St Moritz is focusing on the appeal of educational tourism, with the founding of the AlpenAkademie by the Academia Engiadina. A range of offers including language and computer courses as well as tourism, tour guide and management studies are already in place, and others are in preparation.

World Water Day: Calls for waterway conservation and a stop to deregulation

The motto for this year's International Water Day on March 22 was "Water and Natural Catastrophes". A number of organisations seized the day to put forward their demands for better water conservation.

"Green" holidays in the Alps for Dutch tourists

From this summer several Dutch tour operators, including the TUI subsidiary Holland International and the hiking and cycling holiday specialists SNP, are offering "Green Package Tours" to Switzerland and Austria.

Minority languages of the Alps take to new media

In the past learning the Romansh language nearly always meant having to go through German. But since the end of last year Lia Rumantscha, the umbrella organisation for all Romansh associations, has posted an online English-Romansh dictionary called "myPledari" on the internet for free use.

The Alps are becoming more and more of a theme park

On 29 November Coca-Cola AG inaugurated its Alpen Club Micky Maus in the ski resort of Arosa/CH.

Studies and conference on rail network extensions in the Alpine Rhine region

The A13/E43 network has commissioned a study in the border region between Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Liechtenstein with the following basic requirements for the future provision of public passenger transport services: Rail links to the large agglomerations in southern Germany and from the upper Rhine valley to the central areas of southern Germany and western Austria; expansion of the S-Bahn network in the region comprising eastern Switzerland, the eastern area of Lake Constance and the upper Rhine valley; development of tram/suburban railway systems such a half-hourly S-Bahn link between Feldkirch/A and Buchs/CH.

Biogas - Car fuel of the future?

The SwissFarmerPower Working Group recently presented a study entitled "Agricultural Biogas, the Fuel of Tomorrow" which shows that animal husbandry in the Swiss mountain canton of Lucerne produces enough biogas from faeces to supply 32,000 cars a year with fuel. Biogas fuel would also considerably improve air hygiene and help reduce CO2 emissions.

New four-language dictionary on flood protection

The Swiss Federal Office for Water and Geology and the Swiss Federal Chancellery have published a dictionary on flood protection in German, French, Italian and English.

Prix Wilderness: Award for nature- and environment-minded mountain tours

For the fourth time keepwild!, the specialist environmental department for trend sports of Mountain Wilderness Switzerland, together with the Save the Mountains Foundation, is awarding the Prix Wilderness for Trend Sports.

Alliance of Central Asian Mountain Communities founded

The Alliance of Central Asian Mountain Communities, which is modelled on the Alliance in the Alps community network, was founded in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, on June 22. CIPRA played a key role in the founding of the Alliance.

Cross-border co-operation for the alpine Rhine and Rhine

The comprehensive survey into the current situation conducted as part of the "Alpine Rhine Development Concept" is now completed. On July 1 experts presented the results before representatives of local communities, environmentalists, anglers, energy suppliers and other parties with a vested interest. For the first time the groups concerned are able to take part in a planning project within an international framework.

A thousand valleys - one challenge

Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management in Switzerland

Forest Development in the Swiss Alps: Exchanging Experience with Mountain Regions in the South

GraubündenPlus

AlpTick is our idea of one ticket for all public transport in the whole Alpine region. The work of the CIPRA Youth Council (CYC) has finally borne fruit. This year, travellers to Switzerland will be the first to experience our mini AlpTick creation: Sustainable travel is one step closer to the goal of a unified Alpine ticket for trains and buses with the Graubündenplus ticket.

Korridore für Wildtiere in der Schweiz

Written excursions through the wilderness

Erosion and Landslide

Die regionalwirtschaftliche Bedeutung des Nationalparktourismus

Dead wood in managed forests: how much and how much is enough?