Mountain World Under Pressure: International Alliance Calls for Respect for the Alps
13 June 2024 – Kaunertal, Tyrol. The Alps are facing unprecedented pressure from development. In Tyrol alone, three large-scale infrastructure projects are planned, threatening vital ecosystems like moorlands and glaciers. In response, Alpine clubs from Austria, Germany, and South Tyrol joined forces with environmental NGOs and local citizen groups—including PAN—for a public action day in the Kaunertal valley.
The message was clear: Respect the Alps. End the destruction.
At the heart of the protest is the expansion of the Kaunertal hydropower project, which would flood the Platzertal valley—home to the largest unspoiled moorland in Austria’s high Alps. Glaciers like the Weißseespitze and the Gepatschferner are also at risk, due to loopholes in Tyrolean glacier protection laws.
“Climate and biodiversity protection must go hand in hand. The Platzertal project is blind to both and must be stopped,”
said Wolfgang Schnabl, President of the Austrian Alpine Club.
“No one wants to hike through an industrial landscape,”
added DAV Vice President Wolfgang Arnoldt, referring to the lasting damage caused by ski resort expansion.
In 2022, the Alpine clubs and key environmental organizations signed a joint Manifesto for More Respect for the Alpine Region, declaring that the expansion of Alpine infrastructure must come to an end. As AVS President Georg Simeoni put it:
“Our children have the right to experience intact mountain landscapes. The development of the Alpine region is complete.”
PAN’s Role
Protect Alpine Nature (PAN) was proud to stand alongside over a dozen organizations calling for a new direction in Alpine policy.
“We’re a growing network of now 15 initiatives and NGOs. Across the Alps, we see the same pattern: last natural landscapes under threat. That’s why we need to act together—locally and across borders,”
said Philipp Tschaikner, PAN Network Coordinator.
A Shared Responsibility
As climate and biodiversity crises accelerate, the value of untouched Alpine nature becomes clearer than ever. The Alps are not a resource to be endlessly developed—they are a living landscape worth protecting.
What We Stand For
The alliance emphasizes that the Alps’ true value lies in their intact nature and cultural landscapes. These landscapes do not regenerate once lost. In times of climate crisis and biodiversity loss, we must rethink energy strategies, tourism, and infrastructure – prioritizing energy efficiency and existing resources over new megaprojects.
If we want future generations to experience wild mountains and vibrant Alpine ecosystems, one message must be heard loud and clear:
The development of the Alpine region is complete.
Click here to watch the full press conference (in German).