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EU Green Week 2022

The EU Green Week is an annual opportunity to debate European environmental policy with policymakers, leading environmentalists and stakeholders from Europe and beyond. This year's edition focuses on the European Green Deal - the EU’s sustainable and transformative growth strategy for a resource-efficient and climate-neutral Europe by 2050.

CIPRA celebrates 70 years of Alpine protection

Connecting people, overcoming borders, protecting the Alps: For 70 years CIPRA has been working for a good life in the Alps. What might the Alps of the future look like? On the occasion of its birthday on 5 May, CIPRA is also taking a new look at itself.

70 Years CIPRA

Climate Bridges

[Project completed] The Climate Bridges project strengthens cooperation for transnational climate protection in the Western Balkans, from Croatia via Bosnia-Herzegovina to Albania. Together with other NGOs, CIPRA Lab is setting up a network platform for this purpose.

3rd EU Macro-Regional Strategies Week

The EU Macro-Regional Strategies Week is organised by the European Commission and brings together the stakeholders of the european macro-regional strategies, such as EUSALP for the Alpine region. This year the event focuses on Youth, the European Green Deal and Social Change, and follows the motto Engage, Empower, Evolve. The aim of the event is to Engage stakeholders from across the four EU macro-regional strategies and the EU institutions, to Empower them to take charge of the opportunities offered by the macro-regional strategies in order to Evolve their macro-regions towards a smart and sustainable future in the 2021-2027 programming period.

On the war in Ukraine

A war has broken out in Europe that contradicts everything CIPRA stands for: Intensive cooperation across language barriers and cultural differences, cross-border cooperation and the search for development opportunities that strengthen people and nature.

EUSALP 5th Mobility Conference & Mobility Days Tyrol 2022

Building on six years of macro-regional cooperation in the Alps, the conference will focus on the future developments of transalpine transport and mobility over the next two decades towards a carbon-free Europe by 2050. Mobility stakeholders and political representatives will present and discuss concrete solutions for a more sustainable Alpine macro-region. In light of the European Year of Youth 2022, the younger generation will also be actively involved to help shaping future mobility.

Truck promotion instead of ecology

The European Parliament has shown no understanding. Even the last rescue attempts by three parliamentarians were shot down. The new toll regulation for road haulage on European motorways will lead to the one-sided promotion of hydrogen and electric engines. This will lead to a massive disadvantage for freight transport by rail and to even more trucks.

XII European Mountain Convention: “Smart mountains: how to make our territories attractive and future-oriented?”

The XII European Mountain Convention aims to define a sustainable strategy for the development of smart mountains towards 2050. The Convention goals are to present the economic, social or environmental challenges faced by European mountains and provide innovative solutions to these. It will thus showcase smart initiatives for key sectors in mountain areas, such as tourism and agriculture, and will provide the basis for more integrated and effective public policies, contributing to the sustainable development of mountain areas and the quality of life of mountain communities.

Youth4Mountains Series: The role of technology and innovation in mountain youth entrepreneurship

Is it possible to promote innovation in remote areas? Through the collaboration between the research, industry and policy world, it is possible to give new centrality to mountain areas and attract youth in these territories.

Youth4Mountains Series: Sharing mountain regions’ examples on innovative and sustainable tourism

Sustainable tourism aims to join recreational activities with ecological and social requirements. In order to address this challenge, the diversification of existing businesses can increase the competitiveness of mountain areas while granting the valorisation and preservation of local resources.

Youth4Mountains Series: A multifunctional approach for mountain agricultural businesses

How to identify future challenges and opportunities for small and medium-sized mountain businesses? The workshop will share existing best practices carried out by youth in mountains, underlining the importance of agriculture in biodiversity conservation, in order to enhance the rich patrimony of knowledge and traditions while granting a sustainable development in mountain areas.

Youth At the Top 2022

The 8th edition of Youth At the Top will take place throughout several Alpine and Carpathian protected areas and natural sites. Kids and teens are invited to join local events to take part in this international initiative. Each group will go for a mountain hike and an overnight stay that they won't forget. The event is the opportunity to raise awareness on Nature conservation and preservation among the youngests. For the 2022 edition, these questions will be addressed within the framework of the common theme "Water in all its forms".

European Solidarity Corps

Alpine-wide network for shepherds

What are the possibilities and challenges for a cross-border organisation for shepherds in the Alps? CIPRA held an online conference on 27 January 2022 with representatives from agricultural colleges, national authorities, nature conservation groups and shepherds' organisations to find answers.

Questionable construction boom in ski resorts

Cable cars, reservoirs and blasting pylons: the Alpine landscape has been and continues to be built up for winter tourism even during the pandemic – sometimes in nature reserves and despite much criticism.

Saving land, saving soil

In the Alps and beyond, land is built up every day and valuable soils are lost. The project "Saving:Soils" shows alternatives and develops solutions together with pilot regions.

Leaving few traces along the way

How do we leave as few traces as possible on our way to the mountains or other attractions? On 22 November 2021, around 150 participants travelled virtually through the Alps during an online conference and exchanged ideas on measures to guide visitors in sensitive natural areas.

Onto the slopes by helicopter

Is heliskiing in the public interest? Vorarlberg extends its authorisation by two and a half years: CIPRA Austria calls for greater emphasis on climate protection.

Trucks on (de)tour

One third of the lorries on the Brenner motorway are rerouted to save toll costs. In doing so, they take detours of up to 120 kilometres, as a study from Tyrol/A shows. But the European Parliament does not take this into account.

Securing the future of the Via Alpina

A modern information and networking platform, improved safety and easier orientation along the trail: the Via Alpina, the transalpine long-distance hiking trail, is getting a makeover in 2022. CIPRA International started a crowdfunding campaign to support this project.

Winter Games on a slippery slope

History repeats itself: after the fiasco surrounding the construction ruins in Turin in 2006, the plans for Italy's supposedly “green” Winter Games in Milan and Cortina in 2026 are now too coming under criticism.

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.

The Winter Olympics

The Alps have hosted the Winter Olympics on a number of occasions, most recently in Turin in 2006. With Milano-Cortina, the 2026 Winter Games will once again be held in the Italian Alps, despite vociferous criticism. In 2030, the French Alps will be the venue for the Olympic competitions. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is striving for ‘sustainable games’, but this claim has failed every time so far.

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.

Kick-Off Italian EUSALP-Presidency 2022

The EU Strategy for the Alpine Region EUSALP, launched in 2015, aims at developing the Alpine region as an attractive, innovative, competitive and green region in the heart of Europe. The focus lies on economic growth and innovation, mobility and connectivity, as well as environmental protection and energy. After the successful French presidency, the autonomous provinces of Bolzano-South Tyrol and Trento will take over the presidency for Italy for the year 2022.

Via Alpina Explorer 2022

[Project completed] Hiking boots on, get set, go! To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Via Alpina, the long-distance hiking trail across the Alps, we are awarding eight hiking scholarships of €1,500 each to selected individuals with the support of the VAUDE Sport Albrecht von Dewitz Foundation.

We say goodbye...

With sadness we communicate that on 10 November 2021 the German commons activist Silke Helfrich has died in a tragic mountain accident in Liechtenstein. The 54-years old acclaimed author, sociologist and pedagogue had been in Schaan (LI) to contribute with her outstanding expertise on fair and just economies to the development of CIPRA International.