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Voices along the Via Alpina

The Via Alpina has been connecting people, cultures and landscapes across the Alps for 25 years now. A multilingual podcast series tells its story, highlights the challenges and opportunities of long-distance hiking and raises awareness of sustainable tourism in the Alps.

Voices along the Via Alpina

The Via Alpina has been connecting people, cultures and landscapes across the Alps for 25 years now. A podcast series tells the story of the project, highlights the challenges and opportunities of long-distance hiking and raises awareness of sustainable tourism in the Alps.

Caretaker Tourism

The Alpine Climate Board (ACB) is a body of the Alpine Convention that is committed to climate-neutral and climate-resilient Alps by 2050, with the “Tourism” pathway also in this sector. Within the framework of “Caretaker Tourism”, certain organizations and individuals assume responsibility for developing climate-friendly and sustainable tourism strategies.

Mindful hiking through snow and silence

A snowshoe hike in the Liechtenstein Alps: under the guidance of a hiking guide, young adults experienced a sustainable form of winter sport, practised mindfulness and raised their environmental awareness.

Sporting commemoration of a ranger

The 29th edition of the “Danilo Re Memorial” took place from 16 to 19 January 2025 in Scuol in the Swiss National Park. This year, for the first time, CIPRA took part in the international meeting of representatives of Alpine protected areas and organisations.

YOALIN wins climate competition

CIPRA’s project received the Clima Now Foundation’s Spotlight Prize, worth CHF 50,000. YOALIN is committed to climate-friendly travel.

An end to snowmobiles and heliskiing

In France, snowmobile tours are now officially banned in the Chamrousse ski resort; other areas could soon follow suit. In Austria, environmental organisations are calling for an end to heliskiing.

Webinars for cities and municipalities

The battle for Alpine water

A revival of the hydropower boom: 70 years ago, many Alpine rivers were dammed for the benefit of power stations, while valuable high valleys were built over. Today, new requirements are threatening their ecological functions. In view of the dwindling glaciers and increasing utilisation demands, a distribution battle is looming.

Protecting Alpine biodiversity

In September 2024, CIPRA launched two innovative Interreg projects: LiveAlpsNature and AlpsLife. These projects are helping to protect biodiversity in the Alps and meet the growing challenges posed by the climate crisis and intensive tourism.

Women as mountain rescuers

What skills do women have as mountain rescuers and why are they underrepresented? Young people discussed this with mountain rescuer Veronika Šenk during a "Visit Utopia" in the Slovenian Alps in July 2024.

LiveAlpsNature

The LiveAlpsNature project contributes to the preservation of biodiversity in Alpine protected areas, which are increasingly being used for nature and health tourism. To this end, the project team is developing new visitor guidance concepts and leisure activities and integrating them into digital platforms.

Record run along the renewed Via Alpina

Across the Alps on foot: British endurance athlete Jake Catterall covered more than 2,000 kilometres and 100,000 metres in altitude in just 35 days. He ran the renewed red route of the Via Alpina in record time - he started in Trieste/I on 8 July 2024 and reached Monaco on 12 August.

Scientific tourism on the mountain

Raising tourists’ awareness about climate change through science: the Lautaret Alpine Garden, located right in the heart of the Ecrins National Park in France, features alpine plants from all over the world.

Young people’s demands for a good life in the Alps

Environmental protection, car-free mobility and better work-life balance: these were the political demands of young people from Germany, France, Slovenia and Liechtenstein at the end of the CIPRA “Alpine Compass” project.

International training on inclusion and sustainability in mountain regions

Between May 27th and 31st, over 30 people from the Alpine region gathered in Wildhaus/CH to attend the training within the project »Via Alpina Youth«. The aim was to explore and discuss the potential of mountain and nature experiences within the work with young people. The workshop was organised by CIPRA Switzerland and CIPRA International.

Toxic chemicals - even in ski resorts

Anoraks, climbing ropes, ski wax: many outdoor products contain persistent chemicals (PFAS). A recent study shows their worldwide distribution, with ski resorts in the Alps particularly affected.

The next unused bobsleigh run

The controversial Olympic bobsleigh run in Cortina is being built after all. Despite organisational concerns, Italy’s Infrastructure Minister, Matteo Salvini, has pushed construction through.

Guiding visitors, preserving the natural experience

From artificial intelligence and the last kilometre to carrying capacity limits and nudging: the speciAlps podcast series and a webinar delve deeper into the topic of visitor guidance for a wide audience.

Via Alpina reborn with a new look

Good news for long-distance hikers: the new Via Alpina website is now online, making it easier and more fun to plan hiking trips through the Alps.

Point of view: Mountains for everyone? Not a chance!

Access to the mountains and mountain sports is often unfair, exclusive, segregating and discriminatory. Henriette Adolf, Deputy Executive Director of CIPRA Germany, argues in favour of equal participation in mountain sports.

2030 Winter Olympics in Nice

Switzerland’s idea of decentralised, sustainable games has been rejected by the IOC. Instead, the French Mediterranean city of Nice is very likely to be awarded the contract.

Untamed river

Free flowing rivers, along with their ever-changing landscape, river course and bank structure, are a precious rarity in the Alps. One of the last ones is the Friederlaine. A group of young environmentalists explored the hidden gem in the German Alps.

Webinar: Nudging in Alpine tourism

21 September 2023: Getting visitors on the right track

speciAlps Podcast

[Project completed] From artificial intelligence to the last kilometre to carrying capacity limits and "nudging": the speciAlps podcast series and a webinar delve into the topic of visitor guidance for a broad audience.

Camps and Events

Nudging in Alpine tourism

How can visitors to sensitive natural areas in the Alps be encouraged to behave responsibly without either prohibitions or financial incentives? The role of behavioural psychology in this field was discussed by some 150 participants in the webinar entitled “Nudging in Alpine Tourism”, held in September 2023.

Olympic bobsleigh track at any price

With two years to go until the Olympic Games, construction work on the new bobsleigh track in Cortina/I has not yet begun. No company wants to build it. In the meantime, the IOC is desperately looking for candidates for the 2030 Olympic Games, including Switzerland.

Too much, too loud, too crowded

From the tunnel blockade in Hallstatt/A to the protest rally on the Sella Pass/I: civil society is protesting against overtourism in the Alpine regions – and demanding relief for people and the environment.

Experience the last of the glaciers

Recharge your batteries, go cycling, visit the glaciers: the Alpine Climate Camps project combines mountain sports with climate protection, further encouraging young climate activists. A bicycle tour in Austria at the beginning of September 2023 and other activities in Switzerland and Italy will draw attention to the disappearing glaciers.