Alps / Europe
News, publications, press releases, positions... on this page you find current and alpine-relevant information from the Alps and the european region.
Drastische Folgen für die Natur am Fellhorn - Modernisierungsgesetz hebelt Naturschutzstandards aus
Der geplante Ausbau von Skiliften, Pisten und Beschneiungsanlagen am Fellhorn steht exemplarisch für eine besorgniserregende Entwicklung im Alpenraum: Naturschutzrechtliche Standards werden durch „Entbürokratisierung“ und „Beschleunigung“ übergangen und Beteiligungsprozesse eingeschränkt. Mit dem Argument eines „überragenden öffentlichen Interesses“ wird der Bau von Freizeitanlagen über den Schutz von hochsensiblen Ökosystemen der Alpen gestellt. Read More…
20 years of the Youth Parliament
Turbines in drinking water and solar panels on dams: with these and other ideas, the Youth Parliament to the Alpine Convention, which met in the French city of Chamonix in mid-March 2026, aims to strengthen climate resilience in the Alps. Read More…
Point of view: The good traveller leaves no traces
Traffic jams, noise, exhaust fumes: this problem affects not only densely populated urban centres but, owing to the still overwhelmingly dominant share of motorised transport, also the Alpine regions. Yet we have long known that there is another way, says Stephan Tischler, transport scientist at the University of Innsbruck and Chair of CIPRA Austria. Read More…
Collapsing Alpine glaciers
Austria’s ice giants are shrinking rapidly and literally crumbling away; Germany will soon be ice-free. Research shows that retreating glaciers mean we are losing not only water reservoirs, but also archives of human history. Read More…
Legal dispute over Alpine transit: environmental organisations fear a domino effect
On 21 April 2026, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg heard Italy’s transit case against Austria. It must decide which takes precedence: the free movement of goods, or the protection of people and the environment. In an open letter, 67 environmental organisations are calling for the transit restrictions and air quality measures on the Brenner route to be maintained. Read More…
International Youth Camp - Mountaineering to the Remains of the Triglav Glacier
The shrinking of the Triglav Glacier is one of the most direct pieces of evidence of climate change. Due to the continuous reduction of its area, we are likely the last generation that can still observe the remains of the Triglav Glacier in person. Young people aged 18 to 29.9 from Austria, Italy, Liechtenstein, and Slovenia have the opportunity to take part in a unique multi-day event dedicated to exploring this very glacier. The event will be held in English. Read More…
Speaking up
From the mobility transition to glacier retreat: the 2025 Annual Report shows how CIPRA International is raising awareness of key Alpine issues – and encourages people to help shape a future worth living in. Read More…
New impetus for quality of life in the Alps
Life in the Alps means far more than just an impressive mountain panorama: a good quality of life also depends on a well-functioning local administration. A project run by the University of Ljubljana is developing new strategies in collaboration with pilot regions. Read More…
Three years for living soils: Ground:breaking takes stock
Through the Ground:breaking project, CIPRA has spent three years demonstrating how sealed soils can be revitalised – and why this is crucial for the climate, biodiversity and quality of life in the Alpine region. Read More…
Legal dispute over Alpine transit: environmental organisations fear a domino effect
On 21 April 2026, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg will hear Italy’s transit case against Austria. It must decide which takes precedence: the free movement of goods, or the protection of people and the environment. In an open letter, 67 environmental organisations are calling for the transit restrictions and air quality measures on the Brenner route to be maintained. Read More…
Driving eco-social transformation in the Alpine region
The “Alpine Changemaker Network” project combines Alpine traditions with contemporary art, culture and design. The first “Assembly” to strengthen the network is planned for spring 2026. Read More…
A Strained Planet
We are living beyond our means: by spring, the Alpine countries have already used up their annual resources. “Overshoot Day” is coming earlier and earlier in the calendar, but there are ways to change this. Read More…
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…
