Rural-urban linkages also exist between pre-alpine territories, specifically large metropolitan areas such as Milano, Munich or Lyon, and alpine territories, e.g. their hinterlands in the perimeter of the Alpine Convention. Research emphasizes pressures from peri-alpine metropolitan areas and increasing competition for alpine resources, notably through tourism, leisure activities and residential development. On the other hand, the Alps are recognized to provide (ecosystem) functions and services (e.g. freshwater supply, water cycle, biodiversity) to a much wider area and greater population than their perimeter (EEA, 2010). It would be the task for alpine- peri-alpine territorial partnerships, as a form rural-urban partnership at larger scale, to better manage these more intangible linkages and flows, and to establish compensation mechanisms for mutual impacts.
It would thus be necessary to promote partnership with the same recommendations as for smaller, functional rural-urban areas. Awareness among stakeholders has to be raised regarding benefits from complementary assets and functions, e.g. for competitiveness, better environmental management and enhanced quality of life. Territories and their stakeholders need to enter a dialogue and develop a shared vision that does not stop at the border of their functional areas, countries or the Alpine Convention. However, as functional links might be weaker and more intangible, local stakeholders might lack motivation to join such partnerships. Here, it seems even more important to have sufficient political backing on regional level, creating a fruitful politico-administrative context that is able to trigger such approaches.