On 6 Monday 2017, the opening day of the World Climate Summit in Bonn, representatives from the Alpine Convention, the Alpine countries of Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein, and CIPRA International all underlined the importance of Alpine-wide co-operation between municipalities and cities in increasing climate protection. Locals every day see the effects of global warming in the sensitive ecosystem of the Alps. Municipalities offer considerable potential by committing themselves to greater climate protection. In order to support the co-operation of local authorities and their associations throughout the Alps, CIPRA International submitted an initiative for a Climate Partnership of Alpine Communities. Andreas Pichler, Executive Director of CIPRA International, presented the Climate Partnership of Alpine Communities that emerged from a joint appeal on the part of numerous Alpine communities in the run-up to the 2015 World Climate Conference in Paris. “The main aim of the partnership is to unify the many existing networks and to extend our knowledge as regards communal climate protection. This will allow municipalities to be actively supported in their commitments”, said Pichler. The initiative will be officially launched in spring 2018, with a specialist conference planned for November 2018.

International support for the partnership

Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary at the German Ministry of the Environment, pointed out the many and varied challenges regarding climate change and the adaptations required for towns in the Alpine space. He saw a Climate Partnership of Alpine Communities as an important step towards to a new form of co-operation in order to learn from one another and take advantage of synergies.

Helmut Hojesky, head of the Austrian delegation and chairman of the Alpine Climate Board of the Alpine Convention, set up in 2016, also stressed the important role of municipalities. Their proximity to citizens makes them effective partners for climate protection, but resources are often lacking. He described the activities of the current Austrian presidency of the Alpine Convention in the area of climate protection and adaptation to climate change, citing the Austrian model regions for climate and energy policies as examples of the correct approach.

Heike Summer is a member of the Liechtenstein delegation to the World Climate Summit. Using concrete examples of municipalities in Liechtenstein, she showed how these implement both global targets and commitments as well as national strategies at municipal level. “This process” – she emphasised – “will only work if municipal representatives are involved from the very outset”.

Further information:

www.bmub.bund.de/P4724
www.enb.iisd.org/climate/cop23/enbots/6nov

Contact:

Andreas Pichler, Director CIPRA International
T +423 237 53 05, [email protected]