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Alpine Changemaker Network

How can we advance eco-social transformation in the Alpine region? The Alpine Changemaker Network project combines Alpine traditions, as reflected in contemporary art, culture and design, with current approaches to overcoming global crises.

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.

Alps in Motion: new Alpine-wide Day of Action

The Alpine Fire is being reimagined. With Alps in Motion, CIPRA Switzerland and CIPRA International are launching an Alpine-wide Day of Action on 29 August 2026.

[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.

The “Hofgemeinschaft Ratzenbergli”

A social and local project around biodynamic agriculture in the Bernese hills

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.

Reading Mountains Festival 2025

The cultural diversity of the Alps is so omnipresent in our everyday lives that we all too often take it for granted. Once a year, the Alpine Convention pays tribute to the cultural heritage in the Alps with the Alpine-wide ‘Reading Mountains Festival’, which consists of a mosaic of events organised by our partners throughout the Alpine region and beyond.

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.

Controversial dams

New dams for electricity and water supply are being planned across the Alpine region. Environmental organisations are warning of irreversible damage to the Alpine environment and calling for a rethink in favour of nature-friendly alternatives.

When research aids biodiversity

Researching and strengthening natural diversity across the Alps: with this goal in mind, the Interreg project AlpsLife brought together science, practice and politics in summer 2025 – in the Swiss National Park and at the meeting of the Alpine Biodiversity Board of the Alpine Convention in Liechtenstein.

Quality of life in the Alps

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

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.

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.

Climate risks: better to prepare than to wait

Early warning systems for heavy rainfall, prediction models for droughts: the MultiBios project, completed in April 2025, saw biosphere parks from German-speaking countries sharing their experiences in dealing with climate risks. A research team investigated their role in natural hazard management.

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.

Vision and Mission

Sporting commemoration of a ranger

The 29th edition of the “Danilo Re Memorial” took place from 16 to 19 January 2025 in Scuol in the Swiss National Park. This year, for the first time, CIPRA took part in the international meeting of representatives of Alpine protected areas and organisations.

Sharing Biodiversity on a Micro-Farm

A farmhouse in Canton Appenzell, Switzerland, surrounded by 3 hectares of land, aims to create a diverse, open-minded, and peaceful space.

Webinars for cities and municipalities

10 Key Concepts of the Pastoral economy

Reading Mountains Festival 2024

Celebrating Alpine cultural heritage in the scope of International Mountain Day - 11 December. The Reading Mountains Festival is a way to connect people who love books and mountains, even if they are physically apart. Book lovers and authors, mountaineers and artists throughout the Alps (and beyond) have a chance to discuss similar issues and evaluate the meaning, impact, and purpose of Alpine literature. Some of these discussions are captured in the film “People, Books and Mountains - The Quest for Alpine literature” that was produced as a follow up to the first editions of the Reading Mountains Festival.

After the flood

What role could biosphere reserves play in dealing with climate risks? This was the subject of an international workshop organised by the MultiBios project in Bad Kleinkirchheim/A at the beginning of April 2024, which included a site visit to the Gegendtal valley that was affected by heavy rainfall and flooding two years ago.

Point of view: European elections 2024: why a Swiss citizen would also like to vote

Switzerland’s referendum-based democracy has pitfalls of its own when it comes to environmental and climate policy. There needs to be an overarching corrective, such as neighbouring countries have in their constitutional courts and through the legal institutions of the EU, says Kaspar Schuler – as a Swiss citizen and Executive Director of CIPRA International.

Climate protection becomes a human right

A legal milestone for climate protection: on 9 April 2024, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled that Switzerland is violating the human rights of older women because the country is not doing what is necessary to combat global warming.

UNESCO recognizes Alpine season as cultural heritage

In December 2023, UNESCO added the “Alpine season” to its Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Known for centuries in Switzerland and neighbouring countries, the Alpine season remains alive and well thanks to its many different forms.

2030 Winter Olympics in Nice

Switzerland’s idea of decentralised, sustainable games has been rejected by the IOC. Instead, the French Mediterranean city of Nice is very likely to be awarded the contract.

International Glacier Caravan

Six stages through three Alpine countries: this year’s international campaign by the Italian environmental organisation Legambiente, with the participation of CIPRA, condemned the retreat of the glaciers and thus raised awareness of climate change.

SWCF2023: Swiss Water & Climate Forum

Experience the last of the glaciers

Recharge your batteries, go cycling, visit the glaciers: the Alpine Climate Camps project combines mountain sports with climate protection, further encouraging young climate activists. A bicycle tour in Austria at the beginning of September 2023 and other activities in Switzerland and Italy will draw attention to the disappearing glaciers.