The priority strategies to control instability phenomena in alpine catchments are discussed highlighting how modern tools of mitigations can be voted to obtain their protection goals through a sustainable approach. Since the sustainability aim is founded on the three pillars: economy, society and environment, the evolution of the solutions to control floods, erosions, sediment transport and landslides management has changed consequently. This evolution has been affected, particularly in the Alpine space under analysis, both by the greater value of goods and services which are exposed to damages and by the modified social sensitivity to use the land (settlement, production, ecological services) and by the full-blown effects of the climate change. Specific attention is given to the following prevention measures: communication, management of protection forests, climate change, quality of works.