Population and Culture
There are more than 14 million people living in the Alps. Only 150 years ago, the Alpine population was about half the current size. Today, we see two phenomena happening in the Alps: overall population growth and depopulation of certain areas. People tend to live in easily accessible mountain valleys with access to jobs, education, healthcare and other social services. We are also noticing new population trends, such as the arrival of “new highlanders” (RSA5). Population changes also affect the environment and traditional Alpine landscape.
The Alps are rich in cultures and languages, which influence the economic activities of the region. The Alpine population plays an important role in maintaining Alpine traditions while simultaneously promoting progress and innovation.
The first general obligation within the Framework Convention (Article 2, 2a) focuses on population and culture. It sets the objective “to respect, preserve and promote the cultural and social independence of the indigenous population and to guarantee the basis for their living standards, in particular environmentally sound settlement and economic development, and promote mutual understanding and cooperation between Alpine and extra-Alpine populations”. Based on this obligation, the Declaration on Population and Culture was adopted in 2006. The 2017-2022 multiannual work programme again defines the Alpine population as a priority in the activities of the Alpine Convention.
Protocols and Declarations
Thematic Working Bodies
Mountain Agriculture Platform (2011-2019)
Sustainable Tourism Working Group (2015-2019)
Ad hoc Expert Group for the preparation of the RSA5 (2013-2014)
Alpine cultural heritage is also an integral part of the activities of the EUSALP Action Group 6 on the “Preservation and valorisation of natural resources, including water and cultural resources”, which is led by the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention and the Province of Carinthia.
Selected Documents and Publications
The Alps in 25 Maps (2018)
Multi-Annual Work Programme of the Alpine Conference 2017-2022 (2017)
Resolutions by the 12th Youth Parliament of the Alpine Convention (2017)
The Alps - Eight countries, one territory, 2nd edition (2016)
5th Report on the State of the Alps: Demographic changes (2015)
Projects
DuALPlus (Alpine Space Programme) - Promoting excellence in dual education (2018-2021)
AlpFoodway (Alpine Space Programme) - A cross-disciplinary, transnational and participative approach to Alpine food and cultural heritage (2017-2019)
The Role of Women in Mountain Areas (since 2017)
Alpen-Forum-Innsbruck on climate change and health (2016) - in German
Reading Mountains Festival (since 2015)
We are Alps Tour (since 2014)
Young Academics Award (since 2012)
Photo contest (since 2010)
The World of the Alps - card game (2009)
The Role of Women in Mountain Regions was an international conference that took place on 18-19 April 2017 in Alpach, Tyrol (AT) and was organized in the scope of the Austrian Presidency of the Alpine Convention. Representatives from all mountain regions of the world were invited to network, to exchange best practices and to establish cooperation.
Usually women are particularly aware of the changes occurring in their environment and engage with initiatives to confront these changes. Therefore, the conference focused on the question of how women ecologically, economically, and culturally shape, maintain, and improve activities in the Alpine region. During the Conference, different organisation had the opportunity to present their activities in an open marketplace.
The output of the panel discussions led to the Declaration “Regional Solutions to Global Challenges” which points out the necessary steps to strengthen the role of women in mountain regions at the global level.
For further details, see the conference programme.
Population and Culture, Soil Conservation
