Making sparing and efficient use of energy, and meeting their energy requirements from renewable domestic resources - that is already the declared goal of several Alpine regions. And in fact the whole of the Alps could be energy self-sufficient by 2050, as existing examples and investigations show.

What are the obstacles on the way to energy autarky? How do we ensure that due consideration is given not only to the economic but also to the social and ecological aspects? CIPRA’s 2011 annual conference served as a platform to debate the arguments in favour of the development of energy-independent regions and the sustainability of the proposed models, and also the question of how the Alps as a whole can be made energy-independent and carbon neutral. In-depth information is available in the CIPRA background report “Energy Self-Sufficient Regions”.

The event was organised by CIPRA Slovenia in collaboration with CIPRA International and with the generous support of the Triglav National Park and the Slovene Office of Climate Change.