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Act now to protect forests: sign the #HandsOffNature petition!

More than 40 percent of the Alpine region is covered by forests. They are not only a defining feature of the landscape, but also a cornerstone of Alpine livelihood, providing building materials, supporting biodiversity, and delivering essential ecosystem services.

Winter Olympics on shaky ground

Use as much concrete and steel as possible: that seems to be the sustainability strategy for the Winter Olympics in the Italian Alps. Mountain communities are particularly affected. The icing on the cake is the construction of a new cable car on a slippery slope in Cortina.

After the Games is before the Games

The French people were not involved in the planning of the 2030 Winter Olympics. Environmental organisations are mobilising for public participation and sustainable Games. Meanwhile, Switzerland is preparing its Olympic bid for 2038.

When nature loses, we all lose

The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the safety of our homes – all depend on strong environmental laws. Right now, those protections are under attack. Once they’re gone, we hand the keys of our future to those who see nature only as a resource to exhaust. In the EU, environmental laws are being gutted, under the promise of “simplification” of the legal system. But in reality, these changes will only profit greed, while endangering the lives of all.

[3 questions to … ] Francesca Pasetti Bombardella

2026 is the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP 2026) aimed at raising global awareness of the critical importance of rangelands and pastoralist communities, managed by FAO during the whole 2026. Francesca Pasetti Bombardella is co-chair of the Regional IYRP Support Group Europe.

Preserving the water ressource in the French Jura massif : using a holistic method to better share and adapt to climate change

Adaptation of pastoralism to climate change doesn’t only rely on the shoulders of shepherds and livestock farmers. To deal with climate change, it is important to have a global view, understand how stakes intertwine and think about the adaptation of an ecoregion as a whole - otherwise it cannot be sustainable. That’s what Olivier Erard demonstrates within a project led by the Community of Agglomeration of the Pays de Gex and the National Natural Reserve of the High Jura’s mountains range, which objective was to work on the preservation of the water ressource while answering the needs of pastoral farmers.

Webinar "A focus on certifications as a tool for municipalities to improve quality of life"

Tuesday 3rd of March, 10:00-12:00: a focus on certifications as a tool for municipalities to improve quality of life. Municipalities will be invited to speak about their local practices. The seminar will only be held in English.

Webinar “An introduction to Quality of life as a compass for good governance”

The Interreg Alpine Space project GOVQoL - Empowering local governance of Alpine communities for a better quality of life is pleased to invite you to a series of online seminars we will be organising in February and March 2026! The GOVQoL project is a transnational cooperation project aiming at supporting local communities in improving their governance in the field of quality of life. To reach this objective, GOVQoL conducts several activities such as identifying governance gaps in the Alps, supporting 10 pilot communities in writing their roadmap to improve local governance of quality of life, editing a practical handbook on how to reach this ojective (including lots of good practices!) and ... online seminars to foster Alpine-wide exchange and cooperation. This project stems from the results of the 10th report on the State of the Alps, published in 2025 by the Alpine Convention.

Via Alpina Youth – responsible bivouacking Call to action & points to think about

This paper builds on the Yes We Camp whitepaper and its “call to action & points to think about” and places the concept of responsible bivouacking in direct relation to the Alpine Convention, with a particular focus on the nature protection protocol. It demonstrates that responsible bivouacking can operationalize the objectives of the Alpine Convention by translating international legal principles into concrete, user-oriented practices in the alpine space.

Winter Olympics: the Alps are more than just a playground

Major, global sports events have the power to fascinate and inspire. Winter sports hold a special place in the Alps, with their deep-rooted tradition and passionate following. We however believe that, as they currently stand, the Winter Olympic Games are neither environmentally nor socially acceptable. Despite promises of reform, recent developments such as the preparations for Milano-Cortina 2026 and the 2030 Games in France, as well as the “privileged candidacy” of Switzerland for the Winter Games 2038, all prove that the Olympic model remains unsustainable. In recent decades, referendums (e.g. in Innsbruck, Sion, Munich, Grisons) have several times demonstrated that large segments of the population are no longer willing to pay the price of the Winter Olympics.

A mountain holiday

Taking young people who do not go on holiday to discover rock climbing in the Southern Alps

Resource Talks - Voices from AG 6

The EUSALP Action Group 6 invites you to the third ResourceTalk – voices from AG6, a short Webinar series to explore and discuss about natural and cultural resources in the Alpine Region.

XIV European Mountain Convention

From pastures to policies : ensuring the future of extensive livestock framing in mountain territoires

Relevance of quality of life for local governance

The position paper lays the ground for the future work of the GOVQoL project, the full title Empowering local governance of Alpine communities for a better quality of life. The paper was prepared to assure common understanding of the quality of life, elaborate the relationship between the quality of life and local governance, and emphasise why this relationship should be further strengthened. The position paper lays the ground for the future work of the GOVQoL project, the full title Empowering local governance of Alpine communities for a better quality of life. The paper was prepared to assure common understanding of the quality of life, elaborate the relationship between the quality of life and local governance, and emphasise why this relationship should be further strengthened.

International Mountain Camp in the French Alps

Nestled in the breathtaking landscape surrounding majestic Mont Blanc, an unforgettable international summer camp brought together young people from Liechtenstein, France, Italy, Switzerland, and Slovenia. More than just a hike through alpine trails, the camp was a celebration of connection, discovery, and real inclusion.

Dialogue on Alpine Spatial Planning: Proceedings of the CIPRA Annual Conference 2025

How can Alpine Spatial Planning mitigate conflicts between the energy transition and nature restoration? This question was addressed at the CIPRA Annual Conference 2025 in Salzburg, which brought together more than 160 participants. The proceedings show key insights and recommended actions – not in a concluding way, but as part of an ongoing learning process and as an impulse for further debates. They underline the shared understanding that the energy transition in the Alpine region must be approached and implemented in a cross-sectoral, interdisciplinary, and transboundary manner.

Alpine Spatial Planning: Spatial planning perspectives for overcoming conflicts of use in the context of the energy transition

The proceedings of the CIPRA Annual Conference 2025 summarise the participatively developed results, conclusions, and normative policy and planning recommendations on the role of Alpine spatial planning in the context of current EU requirements for nature restoration and the expansion of renewable energies.

Quality of life in the Alps

Report on the state of the Alps - by the Alpine Convention

Climate and small water cycles (FR)

Solutions for the new water paradigm

Position: Transport and mobility in the Alps

In its new 40-page position paper, CIPRA outlines sustainable mobility in the Alpine region with the least possible negative impact of transport on the environment and people. In addition to travel, the paper also addresses commuter traffic, long-distance traffic and freight transport - supplemented with facts, concrete measures and good examples.

Alpine glaciers in a changing climate: Effects, challenges and solutions

Glaciated areas are particularly sensitive to climate changes causing cascading effects. On regional and local scales, glacier meltwater is an important contributor to and modulator of river flows. Some of the main consequences of glacier retreat and permafrost thaw include reduced slope and rockface stability, loss of habitats for highly specialized species and changes in seasonal melting patterns, which can increase the risk of water scarcity, affecting many people and economic activities (e.g. agriculture and hydroelectric power production).

Keeping our eyes on the stars

Dark nights have become a rarity in our bright world. Artificial light from settlements, industry, street lighting and billboards illuminates the night sky. In Austria, a new natural night sky area is being created that will preserve the view of the starry sky.

Fréjus: end of the road for the “Alpine motorway on rails”

After an 18-month closure caused by a landslide, the beginning of April 2025 saw the first passenger trains once more running through the Fréjus railway tunnel connecting Italy and France. The transport of trucks on freight trains has not been resumed, however.

Voices along the Via Alpina

The Via Alpina has been connecting people, cultures and landscapes across the Alps for 25 years now. A podcast series tells the story of the project, highlights the challenges and opportunities of long-distance hiking and raises awareness of sustainable tourism in the Alps.

OUT4INGOV: Shaping youth migration

The emigration of young people poses major challenges for many Alpine regions. The OUT4INGOV project is working with local organisations to develop innovative approaches to better manage youth migration and raise awareness of the issue in society.

GOVQoL – Empowering Alpine communities to improve their quality of life

Alpine communities’ quality of life (QoL) is currently facing several challenges such as the depopulation of remote areas, reduced provision of services of general interest, the impacts of climate change, and mistrust of governance. These issues are not only reshaping the Alpine territories but also impacting the daily lives of its inhabitants. Despite the urgent need for responsive and inclusive governance, there is currently a significant gap in understanding and addressing QoL at the local level which our project aims to address.

An end to snowmobiles and heliskiing

In France, snowmobile tours are now officially banned in the Chamrousse ski resort; other areas could soon follow suit. In Austria, environmental organisations are calling for an end to heliskiing.

Webinars for cities and municipalities

10 Key Concepts of the Pastoral economy

Webinar series on cross-border mobility

The webinar series on cross-border mobility and European strategies and grants for mobility solutions aimed to strengthen the common understanding and European approach to local mobility solutions. The workshops were open to all stakeholders interested in these topics and provided a platform for exchange and cooperation.