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The Alps as the focus of climate policy

Temperatures in the Alps are rising faster than the global average. The search for solutions is not limited to the World Climate Conference being held in Bonn, Germany.

A wind of change for municipalities

At the Nagelfluhkette Nature Park/A, young people are teaching primary schoolchildren for a day. Together, they study water courses as a habitat for plants and animals. In l’Argentière-la-Bessée/F, another group is creating an adventure trail to the entrance of a silver mine.

The Alpine Rhine fête

CIPRA Liechtenstein. Taming Europe’s biggest torrent began some two hundred years ago. Today, the Alpine Rhine is a canal, its course lined for the most part by intensively used farmland and residual pockets of wetland forest.

speciAlps

[Project completed] Grasslands, marshes, hedges, biotopes and woods are examples of natural treasures and biological diversity that are of great value to alpine regions and municipalities. Not only do they offer a habitat for plants and animals, but also humans value functioning natural areas for their attractiveness and the quality of life they offer. Nevertheless, –these areas have much more potential than we often realise and there is much more every municipality can do!

One river, numerous desires: disagreements about the Alpine Rhine

A current bone of contention between different interest groups is the priority to be given to the various uses made of the Alpine Rhine: as a farming area, as a habitat for the little ringed plover and the German tamarisk, or as a drinking water reservoir. SPARE, a new European Union project for the Alpine region, will offer assistance for the holistic management of watercourses.

Strange but true...

…Are beavers really just great big clumsy rodents?

Our green lungs are running out of air

Animals and plants have to migrate in order to reproduce. That involves crossing land used by human beings. Ecological networking therefore needs the support of a variety of stakeholders. CIPRA brings them together.

Sustainable transport policy for an improved quality of life

On Liechtenstein’s doorstep, in the Austrian town of Feldkirch, the planning process is currently underway for a gigantic road construction project in the form of the Feldkirch Urban Tunnel.

Nominations for Alps-wide architecture prize

Switzerland and Liechtenstein, with technical and organisational support from CIPRA, will for the third time be awarding prizes to buildings in the Alps that demonstrate particular aesthetic and sustainable qualities. The jury has now nominated 32 projects for the “Constructive Alps” Architecture Prize.

CIPRA presents pioneers of sustainable living

Lifestyles and economies that use fewer resources require new thinking and action that go beyond narrow limits and consumerism. This is the conclusion of the CIPRA annual conference held in Annecy, France.

"Alpstar has been like a Lift"

Carbon-neutral Alps - this is the objective pursued by Alpstar's various project partners. The Alpine Rhine Valley has been selected as a pilot region to see how commuters can be motivated to switch to sustainable means of transport, with Hilti AG in Schaan/LI participating as a model company. Hilti's Chief Mobility Officer Daniel Oehry talks about the interaction between CIPRA and other partners.

Municipal network for nature protection

Nature knows no bounds. Therefore, 25 members of the “Alliance in the Alps” network of municipalities are now working together to ensure greater biodiversity and quality of life. Below is a summary of the aims of the international dynAlp-nature projects.

A simple way to communicate climate change adaptation

There exist solutions for dealing with the consequences of global warming. But how can they be successfully communicated? A guide now gives answers for the Alpine Space in 7 steps.

Liechtenstein is Europe's top energy country

All of Liechtenstein's municipalities have now been presented with the European Energy Award. The honour of being Europe's top energy country is a reason to celebrate - and a call for an effective climate policy.

Liechtenstein switches the lights out

The first state in the world to go dark: in January and February Liechtenstein is conducting experiments in bird protection, energy efficiency and public safety.

Green electricity for Liechtenstein

As of next year the electricity flowing out of Liechtenstein's power sockets will be sourced exclusively from renewable energies, but only in private households that do not insist on the previous mix of nuclear energy and fossil fuels.

Discovering common ground

Liechtenstein is a small country, so you’re always bumping into people. And although everybody sort of knows everybody else, they don’t really. Energy-efficient construction is a bit like that. Or rather, it was until October 2009. It was then that CIPRA, which is better known for using its climalp project (see box) to circulate know-how on energy-efficient construction and renovation throughout the Alps, brought its own people together for a change.

Sustainable Rhine Valley without bounds: Network Binding Foundation Schaan/FL

The Alpine Rhine Valley is eager to become a pilot region for climate protection. And CIPRA is to assist along the way. An initial assessment of the efforts made is to be drawn up in November 2010.

Time to shelve the growth model

Yearly Symposium 2009 Gamprin/FL “Growth come hell or high water?”. Andreas Götz, Director OF CIPRA International, on declining growth and its repercussions for the Alps.

CIPRA prepares a seed bed for new ideas in the Alpine region

CIPRA addressed a broad range of issues at its Yearly Symposium entitled “Growth come hell or high water? The Alps in search of happiness” in Gamprin/FL in September. A look at the global cycles and modes of action provided the framework for the topic. CIPRA also looked at the close ties with the Alps, where those global cycles have an impact, and promoted dialogue at various levels. The Symposium was very favourably received by more than 200 participants from all the Alpine countries.

A change of gender for alpMedia

For the past four years Felix Hahn has been the project manager in charge of the success of the alpMedia Newsletter.

Ländergender - cross-border gender mainstreaming

As part of the Interreg IIIA Ländergender Project the governments of Vorarlberg/A, St. Gallen/CH and Liechtenstein plan to pool their efforts aimed at equal opportunities for men and women. The aim is to co-ordinate - and assist with - the implementation of gender mainstreaming in the regional administrations of the Lake Constance Region.

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.

CIPRA on film

To mark its 50th anniversary CIPRA, the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps, produced a film about the Alps and of course the Commission's own activities.

7th CIPRA Summer Academy: Last opportunity to take part

There are still a few places left for the Summer Academy organised by the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA). The final deadline for registration, which can be made at www.cipra.org (de/fr/it/sl/en), is 30 June; the web site has details of this training and education event, including the course programme.

7th CIPRA Summer Academy: The Alps in three weeks

The 7th Summer Academy of the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps (CIPRA) is taking place from 16 August to 3 September. For anyone interested in the Alps as a region this education course provides a detailed insight. The lectures and project work on topics related to the Alps are designed to offer a more comprehensive view of the Alps.

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.

New CIPRA-International web site

The web site of the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps CIPRA-International recently underwent a complete makeover. Information on CIPRA and its member organisations is now posted in a trendier layout at www.cipra.org , with items such as News, Events (e.g. Summer Academy or Annual Conference), Activities, Publications and Positions.

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