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Lawsuits and laws for climate protection

Climate protection laws define clear climate targets, but for many the measures set out are insufficient. Climate lawsuits are increasing political pressure in the Alpine countries.

Hidden CO2 emitters

Climate protection measures are expensive, which is why they are regularly criticised and rejected. How then can it be that at the same time the Alpine states are spending billions on environmentally harmful subsidies?

Expedition for future female glacier researchers

Stay overnight on the glacier for over a week, climb peaks, carry out scientific experiments: the “Girls* on Ice” project offers girls an awe-inspiring summer experience.

Alpine Policy 2023: the Slovenian-Swiss year

This year, Slovenia and Switzerland will play a decisive role in shaping international cooperation between states and regions in the Alps: Slovenia is taking over the presidency of the Alpine Convention, while Switzerland is the first non-EU country to chair the Eusalp, the EU Strategy for the Alpine Region.

Unsuitable landscapes for energy production

The results of a recent survey from Switzerland are clear: no to energy production in almost unspoilt mountain areas. Intensively used areas around ski resorts or existing power plants would be better suited to the expansion of renewable energy.

Alpine towns – key to sustainable development

The ninth Report on the State of the Alps, entitled “Alpine Towns”, was presented as part of the Swiss presidency of the Alpine Convention. It sheds light on how the Alpine settlement system hinders – or helps – the sustainable development of the Alps.

Making change possible

Inspirational inputs, heated discussions, fruitful exchanges and excursions into the impressive Valais region in and around the Alpine town of Brig-Glis/CH: AlpWeek 2022, held in early September in Brig-Glis/CH, was all about “Change in the Alps”.

International competition for the 7th edition of Lausanne Jardins

We are pleased to announce that the international competition for the 7th edition of Lausanne Jardins is officially launched. It is addressed to landscape gardeners, architects, designers and artists from all over the world to create approximately twenty gardens on the theme of water. These gardens will be set up on the shores of the lake during the summer of 2024. The call for applications will be open until 11 November 2022.

Alps in transition

The ecological transition is already happening in the Alps – and we are in the middle of it. The AlpWeek 2022 from 5 to 7 September 2022 in Brig-Glis/CH will bring together citizens and decision-makers to discuss the many aspects of transformation in the Alps. CIPRA is co-organiser of the international event.

Shoes from a 3D printer

Creative, young, motivated: around 30 young people from all the Alpine countries have spent a year implementing their ideas for a good life in the Alps. At the beginning of July they concluded their year-long journey as “Alpine Changemakers” and presented their projects.

Stop to second homes

The Swiss popular initiative "Stop the rampant construction of second homes!" limits the proportion of second homes in municipalities in order to curb urban sprawl.

Lively mountain village

The village of Valendas in the Swiss canton of Graubünden shows how citizens can revive their village architecturally and culturally.

Climate-fit mountain regions

The "AdaPT Mont-Blanc" project uses a digital toolbox to show what measures are available for adapting to climate change at the spatial planning level.

Affordable primary residences

Second homes notwithstanding, the municipality of Zermatt/CH wants to secure affordable housing for the local population.

Ski resorts for sale

Vail Resorts from the USA is taking over Andermatt-Sedrun in Switzerland, while a British company is buying Via Lattea in Italy. This is the role played by international investors in the ski circus of the Alps.

Point of view: Let's finally press the reset button in tourism!

Mass tourism in the Alps has collapsed due to the ongoing Corona pandemic, and the opportunities for switching to environmentally and socially just tourism have increased. But they must also be exploited, says Hans Weber, Executive Director of CIPRA Switzerland.

AlpWeek. Alps in transition

The AlpWeek is an international event co-organised by the leading Alpine organisations committed to mountain protecion and sustainable development.

A voyage of discovery along the Via Alpina

On with your hiking boots, get set, go! To mark the 20th anniversary of the Via Alpina, the long-distance hiking trail across the Alps, CIPRA International is awarding eight hiking scholarships with the support of the VAUDE Sport Albrecht von Dewitz Foundation. Applications will be accepted up until 6 February.

Online conference: Building an Alpine-wide web of shepherding organisations

The return of large carnivores in the Alps has many consequences on alpine farming and on the work and practises of shepherding. CIPRA International invites representatives from shepherding organisations in the Alpine region, representatives from agricultural schools and organisations as well as responsible authorities that have developed curriculums for herders to a virtual conference to discuss needs and opportunities for a cross-border shepherd organisation.

Eco.mont special issue: Biosphere Reserves in Mountain Regions

On the occasion of 50 years Man and the Biosphere Programme the Austrian MAB National Committee has organized and financed a special issue on Biosphere Reserves in Mountain Regions in eco.mont. The special issue contains 16 articles from four out of five MAB regions.

Alpine Climate Action

[Project completed] From classic forms of political participation to creative methods of non-violent civil resistance: in four online workshops, young adults learn about a range of political engagement – and how they can use it to campaign for climate protection.

Innovations and aberrations

Helicopter flights and Australian white wine on the one hand, an eco-museum and recycled smartphones on the other: positive and negative awards from environmental organisations point the way to a more sustainable future.

Do you speak Alps?

A different dialect in every community: the linguistic diversity of the Alps is fascinating and constantly changing, which also makes it interesting for linguists. Using modern methods such as crowdsourcing, a research project is collecting dialect words across the Alps for a digital, living lexicon.

Under the magnifying glass

What treasures and resources are hidden in the Alps? How do we deal with them as sustainably as possible? These and similar questions are posed in the August 2021 issue of SzeneAlpen.

Mobile in the Alps

By rail, by road, by mountain path: numerous CIPRA projects show just how diverse sustainable mobility can be.

Climate crisis makes mountains crumble

Rockfalls and rockslides are nothing new in the Alps, but dwindling permafrost is making the situation even worse – for mountaineering and for villages.

8th Report on the State of the Alps: Air quality in the Alps

Changing the Alps together

Integrating marginalised groups better, reviving ghost towns in the Alps, or organising a meeting on “Rural Commons”: the first “Alpine Changemaker Basecamp” (ACB) in Valposchiavo/CH at the beginning of July 2021 saw around 30 participants from the Alpine region further developing their projects for a liveable future in the Alps.

Climate protection: from plan to action

The Alps as a climate-neutral, climate-resistant region by 2050: this is the objective of the newly launched “Climate Action Plan 2.0” of the Alpine Convention. Concrete steps will now follow in such areas as mountain farming, spatial planning and biodiversity.

CO2 legislation: more courage needed

While the new CO2 law in Switzerland has for the time being failed, a climate protection alliance is forming in Bavaria; Austria is discussing a climate protection law; and in France the Climate Council is taking courageous decisions.