There is a considerable “adaptive capital” in the Alpine region i.e. projects and initiatives at community and the local level. UNEP’s Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention (SCC) was partner of the Alpine Space project C3-Alps, which brought these experiences together, along with existing knowledge, and made this information available to decision makers. In addition to that, pilot activities focusing on long-term effects were carried out in at least one pilot area per Alpine country. By passing on knowledge about climate change adaptation (suited to the needs of municipalities), and through motivation activities with local stakeholders and specific implementation projects, the capacity of the municipalities for adaptation is to be strengthened in the long term.

UNEP Vienna SCC, as an important partner of the project, co-organized together with the Austrian Environment Agency, the final event of the project in the Vienna town hall, on 14 October. The conference reunited stakeholders involved in climate change adaptation and mitigations activities from all the Alpine countries.

The conference started with a press conference attended by Georg Rebernig, Director of the Austrian Environment Agency, Lead Partner of C3-Alps project; Karine Siegwart, Vice-Director of the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment FOEN; Monika Kratzer, Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Consumer Protection; Luca Cetara, Representative of the Italian Ministry of the Environment, Land and Sea, Presidency of the Permanent Committee of the Alpine Convention; and Stéphane Isoard from the European Environment Agency (EEA). The press conference was moderated by Harald Egerer, Head of UNEP Vienna SCC.

More information: harald.egerer@unvienna.org