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Relations between humans, and between humans and nature, are the focus of the “Re-Imagine Alps” project. People take responsibility for their environment when they feel concerned and involved. Landscape here serves as a frame of reference and focal point for the perception and communication of sustainability issues: various relationships, memories and visions are illuminated in respect of, by, and for landscape in the overall Alpine context. Responsibilities and obligations grow out of ideas and relationships.

Grasslands, marshes, hedges, biotopes and woods are examples of natural treasures and biological diversity that are of great value to alpine regions and municipalities. Not only do they offer a habitat for plants and animals, but also humans value functioning natural areas for their attractiveness and the quality of life they offer. Nevertheless, –these areas have much more potential than we often realise and there is much more every municipality can do!

Whether mountain forests that protect us from avalanches and clean our air, or rivers and alpine pastures that provide us drinking water, energy or nourishment: in the AlpES Project ten partner organisations from six alpine countries have evaluated and documented ecosystem services for the past three years. They will present their results on 21st and 22nd November 2018 at a Final Event in Innsbruck/A. Press representatives are kindly invited to attend.

The aim of the project BeeAware! is to inspire communities in the Alps for bee protection and thus to improve the livelihoods of honey and wild bees. Bees are depending on an intact biodiversity. The different bee species need different plants, nesting and drinking places in order to survive. Integral bee protection therefore means securing, improving and enlarging the habitat of these important pollinators.

Sustainable development is not simply limited to nature protection. As a guiding idea that touches virtually all areas of life, sustainability should be discussed at every lunch, every workshop, schoolroom or parliament. Through the project alpMonitor, CIPRA International, together with the national CIPRA branches, strongly focuses on the responsibilities modern societies have in the shift towards sustainable development. The actual objective is «the good life» in the Alps. CIPRA’s approach is based upon the values of participation, solidarity and frugality.

To have a say in Alpine policy, to bring in own topics, to exchange ideas with EU politicians: The "Youth.shaping.EUSALP" project makes young people’s and young adults’ voices heard and develops a concrete strategy for the commitment of the youth within the EUSALP. © CIPRA International

In the project UrbaBio, representatives of the participating Alpine Towns of Annecy, Belluno, Chambéry and Trento draw on each other's broad pool of knowledge to promote biodiversity in the city.

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.