Climate Change

Recent studies of climate change have identified major environmental and socio-economic effects, which are more pronounced in the Alps, where the increase in temperature may exceed the global average (up 1-5° C in the summer and 2-7° C in the winter by 2050). The rise in temperature will trigger major changes – some of which are already visible – and will worsen over the coming decades: declining biodiversity, reduced snow cover at low altitude, glacier shrinkage, thawing permafrost, and plentiful rain in winter, autumn and spring. These changes will affect the mountain ecosystems, which are already sensitive and exposed to a wide range of pressures such as changes in land use, dumping of pollutants, use of natural resources, intensive grazing and the introduction of non-native species. As the key players in the field of nature conservation and management (30,000 wildlife species and 13,000 plant species are found in the Alps), the protected areas are also home to large glaciers and the catchment areas for four major European rivers (the Rhine, Rhone, Danube and Po) and even include some inhabited areas. This means that the Alps are directly affected by these dramatic changes and therefore a rapid response is required with appropriate and sustainable adaptations at all levels.
In view of this, ALPARC, the Alpine Network of Protected Areas, decided to make climate change one of its priority action themes in 2007.

Working Group(s)

"Sustainable Tourism, Cultural Heritage and soft Mobility" Working Group
“Traditional Know-How and Ecological Constructions in the Protected Areas” Working Group
“Water Resources” Working Group