Alps / Europe
News, publications, press releases, positions... on this page you find current and alpine-relevant information from the Alps and the european region.
Future Soil Literacy
Healthy soils play a fundamental role in climate protection. Yet decision-makers as well as the general public still frequently overlook this valuable resource. The project ‘Future Soil Literacy’ uses a variety of methods to provide the knowledge and tools to bridge this awareness gap. Read More…
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. Read More…
Responsible management of mountain water resources
Mountain regions constitute a unique yet fragile natural environment that provides habitat for numerous rare and endemic species. Their biodiversity is rich, yet highly vulnerable. These areas host a variety of aquatic ecosystems—rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands and peat bogs — which have very limited self-purification capacity and are extremely sensitive to change. Their condition is directly affected by climate change and human activities. Read More…
Milano-Cortina 2026: Fair play? Not a chance!
Artificial snow, traffic, concrete, fossil fuel sponsorship: numerous fouls were committed against nature before and during the 2026 Winter Olympics – and were also the subject of media coverage. Read More…
Survey on Intangible Alpine Cultural Heritage
The Italian Presidency of the Alpine Convention and the task force “Population and Culture” invite you to participate in a survey – the first step toward transalpine exchange on intangible Alpine heritage, particularly in the area of food culture. Read More…
Alpine Changemaker Network
How can we advance eco-social transformation in the Alpine region? The Alpine Changemaker Network project combines Alpine traditions, as reflected in contemporary art, culture and design, with current approaches to overcoming global crises. Read More…
cc.alps compacts
Through the project “cc.alps” CIPRA investigated climate measures in the Alps. CIPRA brought together climate protection and climate adaptation activities in the Alps (hereinafter these activities are defined as climate measures) and analysed what effects these climate measures have on the environment, economy and society. The “CIPRA compact” collection within cc.alps features various theme books that deal critically with climate measures in the Alps. The collection comprises the fields of activity: energy, building and construction, energy self-sufficient regions, spatial planning, transport, tourism, nature protection, agriculture, forestry and water. Read More…
Via Alpina Youth – responsible bivouacking Call to action & points to think about
This paper builds on the Yes We Camp whitepaper and its “call to action & points to think about” and places the concept of responsible bivouacking in direct relation to the Alpine Convention, with a particular focus on the nature protection protocol. It demonstrates that responsible bivouacking can operationalize the objectives of the Alpine Convention by translating international legal principles into concrete, user-oriented practices in the alpine space. Read More…
My Travel Diary - Walking. Thinking. Feeling. Sharing.
Your travel diary for slow travel Read More…
Media coverage of Milano-Cortina 2026
Selected media reports on the 2026 Winter Olympics – CIPRA as a committed voice for sustainable Alpine policy. Read More…
Heating of buildings and air quality 2.0
The project represents a continuation of efforts to reduce air pollution resulting from improper combustion in individual furnaces. Particular attention is paid to the use of outdated wood biomass combustion devices, which contribute significantly to emissions of particles that are harmful to health. Read More…
[3 questions to … ] Francesca Pasetti Bombardella
2026 is the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP 2026) aimed at raising global awareness of the critical importance of rangelands and pastoralist communities, managed by FAO during the whole 2026. Francesca Pasetti Bombardella is co-chair of the Regional IYRP Support Group Europe. Read More…
![[3 questions to … ] Francesca Pasetti Bombardella](https://www.cipra.org/en/news/3-questions-to-francesca-pasetti-bombardella/@@images/image-200-1ba159cb95b50aca1d745fe6d6b74983.jpeg "[3 questions to … ] Francesca Pasetti Bombardella")
Preserving the water ressource in the French Jura massif : using a holistic method to better share and adapt to climate change
Adaptation of pastoralism to climate change doesn’t only rely on the shoulders of shepherds and livestock farmers. To deal with climate change, it is important to have a global view, understand how stakes intertwine and think about the adaptation of an ecoregion as a whole - otherwise it cannot be sustainable. That’s what Olivier Erard demonstrates within a project led by the Community of Agglomeration of the Pays de Gex and the National Natural Reserve of the High Jura’s mountains range, which objective was to work on the preservation of the water ressource while answering the needs of pastoral farmers. Read More…
Experiencing the melting of glaciers
By 2100, only 12 per cent of today’s glaciers will remain in the Alps. In the webinar kicking off the Erasmus+ project “Young Glacier Voices”, glacier experts talked about the disappearing ice. Read More…
Petition against oil companies in skiing
An oil giant as a premium partner: energy company ENI is sponsoring the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Athletes are now calling for a rethink in winter sports with the “Ski Fossil Free” petition. Read More…
After the Games is before the Games
The French people were not involved in the planning of the 2030 Winter Olympics. Environmental organisations are mobilising for public participation and sustainable Games. Meanwhile, Switzerland is preparing its Olympic bid for 2038. Read More…
Winter Olympics on shaky ground
Use as much concrete and steel as possible: that seems to be the sustainability strategy for the Winter Olympics in the Italian Alps. Mountain communities are particularly affected. The icing on the cake is the construction of a new cable car on a slippery slope in Cortina. Read More…
Alps in Motion: new Alpine-wide Day of Action
The Alpine Fire is being reimagined. With Alps in Motion, CIPRA Switzerland and CIPRA International are launching an Alpine-wide Day of Action on 29 August 2026. Read More…
Winter Olympics on shaky ground
Use as much concrete and steel as possible: that seems to be the sustainability strategy for the Winter Olympics in the Italian Alps. Mountain communities are particularly affected. The icing on the cake is the construction of a new cable car on a slippery slope in Cortina. Read More…
When nature loses, we all lose
The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, the safety of our homes – all depend on strong environmental laws. Right now, those protections are under attack. Once they’re gone, we hand the keys of our future to those who see nature only as a resource to exhaust. In the EU, environmental laws are being gutted, under the promise of “simplification” of the legal system. But in reality, these changes will only profit greed, while endangering the lives of all. Read More…
Point of view: Winter Games need to face reality
Major events promise modernity, revitalisation and global visibility. In the Alps, however, these promises are now being made in territories marked by the climate crisis, depopulation and, at the same time, growing tourist pressure. Looking closely at Milan-Cortina 2026, what emerges is not only a celebration of sport, but one of the largest public and infrastructure investment programmes ever concentrated in the Alpine area – with effects that are set to continue well beyond the time of the competitions, says Vanda Bonardo, president of CIPRA Italy. Read More…
To learn more about local governance & quality of life in the Alps, to simply take part in the discussion, or to share your community's example ... Join us!
The Interreg Alpine Space project GOVQoL - Empowering local governance of Alpine communities for a better quality of life is pleased to invite you to a series of online seminars we will be organising in February and March 2026! Read More…
Relevance of quality of life for local governance
The position paper lays the ground for the future work of the GOVQoL project, the full title Empowering local governance of Alpine communities for a better quality of life. The paper was prepared to assure common understanding of the quality of life, elaborate the relationship between the quality of life and local governance, and emphasise why this relationship should be further strengthened. The position paper lays the ground for the future work of the GOVQoL project, the full title Empowering local governance of Alpine communities for a better quality of life. The paper was prepared to assure common understanding of the quality of life, elaborate the relationship between the quality of life and local governance, and emphasise why this relationship should be further strengthened. Read More…
Open letter: Protecting the Alps from excessive transit traffic
The Alpine region is under increasing pressure from the climate crisis, air pollution and ever-growing traffic volumes: 67 organisations, led by CIPRA International, have therefore sent an open letter to EU Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas and the transport ministers of the Alpine countries. Read More…
Generational change at CIPRA International
After seven eventful years at the helm of CIPRA International, Kaspar Schuler is taking well-deserved retirement. His former deputy, Jakob Dietachmair, takes over as Executive Director, while Magdalena Holzer becomes the new Deputy Director. There are also changes at CIPRA Austria: Paul Kuncio is moving to CIPRA International as Policy Officer. Read More…
