Alps / Europe

The overall objective of this project is to introduce more cost-effective solar thermal systems, particularly for domestic hot water preparation and / or space heating, to the market in order to contribute to the European Union's Action Plans with regard to the reduction of CO2 – Emissions and the cost effective supply of renewable energies.

The LexAlp project was recently launched in a bid to harmonise the legal language used in environmental and regional planning in alpine countries. As the first project of its kind LexAlp covers all four official languages of the Alps - French, German, Italian and Slovene.

The Interreg IIIB AlpNaTour Project has been up and running since the start of this year. The Project focuses on practical ways of integrating recreation and tourism concerns in management planning processes of Natura 2000 sites. The Project is to provide a guideline and checklists for the management of Natura 2000 sites influenced by the economic interests of tourism and recreation.

Japan's winter resorts are in crisis. Since the boom years in the early 1990s the number of winter sports enthusiasts has dropped by more than a third. Even on weekends where snow is abundant many of the lifts remain closed. One ski resort in two is on the verge of bankruptcy. And yet in recent years only 4 out of a total of 722 ski areas have closed down; this is because Japanese legislation requires that, in the event of closure, operators dismantle the lift facilities and restore the ski slopes.

The Rolex Awards are for outstanding initiatives in relation with the environment, cultural heritage, science and medicine, technology and innovation as well as research and discovery.

The main areas of focus of Austria's chairmanship of the Alpine Convention have now been defined. At a press conference held in Innsbruck/A on 18 March Environment Minister Josef Pröll outlined Austria's programme. According to Mr Pröll Austria is to focus on adopting a Water Protocol, addressing transport issues and completing the Progress Report on the state of the Alps.

January 2005 saw the launch of the Alpshealthcomp Project aimed at strengthening the competitiveness of the alpine region as a health and wellness destination. The partners of Alpshealthcomp, a project of the EU Community Initiative Interreg IIIB Alpine Space Programme, come from Italy, Austria and Germany, the project itself being endowed with around one million euros.

The University of Klagenfurt/A has created a new study programme on the subject of the Management of Protected Areas. The two-year course in English is to be launched in September 2005. While the first semester focuses on theoretical and scientific foundations, the second and third semesters look at practical aspects of the management of protected areas.

On March 2 Austria's Lower House of Parliament, the National Council, adopted a number of key changes to the statutory basis of environmental risk assessments. Under the amendment mandatory environmental risk assessments have been waived for specific projects (construction of or modifications to leisure and recreation parks, sports stadiums, etc.).

Buying products from the region strengthens regional economic cycles and is kinder on the climate. However there has been some debate within the EU whether the subsidising of regional products by members state governments actually obstructed the European single market.