Our Resolution

The Alps belong to the most beautiful mountain landscapes on earth. However, they are threatened in their pristine nature in many ways, such as by traffic, overdevelopment for tourism and economic exploitation for energy production, among other things.

Based on this resolution, we want to form an alliance of NGOs and citizens' initiatives from all Alpine countries against further overuse and proclaim the first Friday in May of each year as "Day for the Protection of the Alps".

The following areas that contribute significantly to the destabilization of nature and the alpine landscape in the Alps.

Climate change

Global warming does not stop at the Alps. The inner Alpine region is in fact disproportionately affected due to its large land mass. The rapid melting of glaciers and the increasing loss of biodiversity are alarm signs of an impending catastrophe.

We call on the political representatives of all Alpine countries to take all necessary measures to stabilize the climate. These must also be implemented at EU level and on a global scale.

Traffic

The mountains are cut through by many transalpine high-level and -heavy traffic roads. The damage caused by transit traffic to nature and human health has reached a level that requires urgent action. At the Brenner Pass, the busiest Alpine crossing, approximately 2.5 million semi-trucks and trucks and 14.1 million cars were counted in 2021 alone.

We demand a shift of goods traffic to rail wherever possible. Passenger traffic should be shifted to public transport through affordable and attractive offers.

Tourist overdevelopment, glacier protection

The Alps are the most touristically developed mountain range in the world. In the entire Alpine region there are almost 11,000 lifts and cable cars as well as ski slopes with a total length of almost 30,000 km. The number of hotels and their capacities have also increased continuously in recent years.

We demand that fixed expansion limits be set and that ski area expansions and -mergers be stopped. Glaciers must be spared from any further development through absolute protection.

Land consumption

The naturally limited area suitable for permanent settlement is faced with very high consumption due to sealing and overbuilding.

We demand binding laws that limit soil consumption. Expansion and reuse must have priority over further urban sprawl.

Power Industry

Due to their topography, the Alps have been used for a very long time to generate electrical energy from hydropower. In Tyrol alone, there are almost 900 hydroelectric power plants (as of 02/2023) and many more associated dams. This has led and continues to lead to a great loss of natural landscape and biodiversity.

We demand an exceedingly restrictive approach to the expansion of hydropower, which has already reached a very high level. In the operation of (existing) storage power plants, special attention must be paid to minimizing the impact of surges and sinks. Construction and use of PV plants and wind power plants are very much dependent on the location but can be quite reasonable in already (infrastructurally) developed areas in view of the necessity of the energy transition. In all cases, this must be done in a manner that is compatible with nature.

Agriculture

Intensive agriculture in the Alps has already led to high biodiversity losses in the past. In particular, the number of insects (bees, butterflies, ...) has decreased to an alarming extent. Ground-nesting birds, such as the skylark or lapwing, are also threatened with extinction in many areas.

We demand that the conditions for sustainable organic farming be improved and that subsidies for agricultural enterprises with high ecological standards are used as targeted as possible.

Waters

There are only a few rivers left in the entire Alpine arc that can follow their course freely and unhindered. Bank obstructions, barrages and power plants have severely impaired the vitality and regenerative capacity of the watercourses and the biotopes associated with them, such as floodplain and moor landscapes.

We demand effective protection measures for the still intact river and floodplain landscapes and renaturation measures in those river sections where revitalization is possible and sensible.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the most reliable measure of the state of an ecosystem. Unfortunately, biodiversity has decreased massively in recent years due to overuse and destruction of the habitat of plants and animals.

We call for measures in all the aforementioned areas to restore and permanently secure the diversity and stability of ecosystems. An alpine-wide monitoring should document the actual state and the achieved successes.

Protected areas

Protected areas are a reservoir of biodiversity and thus fulfill an important role. Their number, geographical distribution and protection status are crucial for success.

We call for the rapid implementation of the EU target to place 30 percent of each country's land area under protection. The target of 10 percent to be placed under strict strict protection must be continuously increased.

The main cause for the glaring extent of nature destruction in the past decades lies in the advanced technical means and the anthropocentric view of the decision makers, who put the economic benefit in the foreground. We call for a paradigm shift that ascribes a self-value to nature, independent of us humans. In the long term, we see this as an opportunity to stabilize alpine ecosystems and improve the quality of life for all people in the Alpine region.