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.
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More articles
Sophie V. Mahlknecht, CIPRA International
The final glacier melt
Glaciers have been suffering from the consequences of climate change for years, but the latest figures from the Alpine countries are nevertheless alarming: measurements from 2022-23 show that the glaciers in the Alps shrank by more than ever before. A researcher from the Austrian Alpine Association describes the situation as “miserable as hell”.
Veronika Hribernik, CIPRA International
Excessive consumption of resources
The Alpine countries are living at the expense of future generations: if everyone lived like those living in the Alpine region, the available resources for this year would be used up by May 2024.
Anna Mehrmann, CIPRA International
Toxic chemicals - even in ski resorts
Anoraks, climbing ropes, ski wax: many outdoor products contain persistent chemicals (PFAS). A recent study shows their worldwide distribution, with ski resorts in the Alps particularly affected.
Francesco Pastorelli, CIPRA Italy
New Alpine reservoirs to combat water shortages
Frequent droughts, thirsty agriculture: Italy is discussing the construction of additional reservoirs to supply drinking water and energy. More ecologically sound solutions are in danger of falling by the wayside.
Events
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XIV European Mountain Convention | Sallanches / France | |
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Alps in Motion: new Alpine-wide Day of Action | alpswide | |
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Symposium 2: Vernacular Buildings in the Anthropocene | Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna (Austria) |
Projects
CIPRA International
Worthwild
[Project completed] Only minimally impacted by human intervention, areas with limited infrastructural development in the Alps provide European societies with a wide range of ecosystem services, such as the conservation of biodiversity and climate regulation.
CIPRA International
AlpInnoCT
[Project completed] The Alps are a sensitive ecosystem that has to be protected from pollutant emissions and climate change. The alpine road freight transport has enormous ecological and sociocultural effects on the alpine habitat. Most actors such as forwarders, port operators, administrations and consumers, are aware of these negative effects and they are working on their own technical or regulatory solutions. However, a constructive and participatory dialogue between all involved actors, in order to promote sustainable freight transport within the Alps, has not been established so far.
CIPRA International
AlpES
[Project completed] Ecosystems and their services go beyond national borders and need a transnational approach for their dynamic protection, sustainable use, management and risk prevention. As a basis for joint action, public authorities, policy makers, NGOs, researchers and economic actors – the AlpES target groups – need a common understanding of ecosystem services, comparable information on their status and support in using appropriate tools for integrating them in their fields of work.