wiki:alpine_space
Differences
This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.
Next revision | Previous revision | ||
wiki:alpine_space [2018/07/16 15:18] – created eurac | wiki:alpine_space [2018/07/18 15:24] (current) – eurac | ||
---|---|---|---|
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
- | ====== | + | ====== The Alpine Space ====== |
- | The European Alps comprise an incredibly diverse and complex web of interconnected natural and human systems. They are the highest and most extensive inner-European mountains, spanning 8 countries (France,\\ | + | {{: |
- | Switzerland, | + | |
- | Unique traditions of mountain agriculture have emerged here, where grassland farming predominates over cereal, fruit, and vegetable agriculture, | + | {{: |
+ | |||
+ | The European Alps comprise an incredibly diverse and complex web of interconnected natural and human systems. They are the highest and most extensive inner-European mountains, spanning 8 countries (France, Switzerland, | ||
The Alps are not, however, immune to the threats of recent global changes. Globalization has brought about new opportunities but also new challenges. Market changes have had severe social and economic effects and led to changes in land use. A rapidly changing climate has already begun to impact many facets of life for these mountain populations. Understanding these complex trends is a difficult process, but certain patterns are already apparent. | The Alps are not, however, immune to the threats of recent global changes. Globalization has brought about new opportunities but also new challenges. Market changes have had severe social and economic effects and led to changes in land use. A rapidly changing climate has already begun to impact many facets of life for these mountain populations. Understanding these complex trends is a difficult process, but certain patterns are already apparent. | ||
- | Political and economic processes, together with social changes, are altering many structures in the Alpine Space. For example, they have resulted in agglomeration processes in the valleys; the average size of farms is increasing, while their number and diversity are decreasing. Agriculture has slowly vanished from many hillsides and Alpine pastures, instead concentrating in extensive holdings\\ | + | Political and economic processes, together with social changes, are altering many structures in the Alpine Space. For example, they have resulted in agglomeration processes in the valleys; the average size of farms is increasing, while their number and diversity are decreasing. Agriculture has slowly vanished from many hillsides and Alpine pastures, instead concentrating in extensive holdings found in the lowlands. This change is causing a loss in biodiversity, |
- | found in the lowlands. This change is causing a loss in biodiversity, | + | |
- | and urbanization are changing the population distribution and land use across the Alps.Younger people are moving away from remote regions to urban settlements with greater education and work opportunities, | + | Climate change is another major threat to Alpine ecosystems. One obvious outcome of climate change is that glaciers are melting at an ever-accelerating rate. This melting results in a cascade of downstream problems, such as dwindling glacier-fed rivers and the consequent lack of drinking water. Changes in precipitation, |
+ | |||
+ | These diverse processes have become more and more pronounced in recent years, challenging stakeholders in the region to ensure that development remains sustainable and further environmental and cultural degradation is avoided. By the late 1990’s, it became clear that the effort to mitigate these impacts and to make better use of shared resources has to be coordinated between all Alpine countries. Accordingly, | ||
+ | |||
+ | <font 12px/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | <font 12px/ | ||
- | Climate change is another major threat to Alpine ecosystems. One obvious outcome of climate change is that glaciers are melting at an ever-accelerating rate. This melting results in a cascade of downstream problems, such as dwindling glacier-fed rivers and the consequent lack of drinking water. Changes in precipitation, snow-cover patterns and glacier storage are expected to alter the Alpine water cycle. This could potentially lead to more droughts in summer, more floods and landslides in winter, and greater variability in the water supply throughout the year (EEA,\\ | + | <font 12px/ |
- | 2010). Furthermore, | + | |
- | These diverse processes have become more and more pronounced in recent years, challenging stakeholders in the region to ensure that development remains sustainable and further environmental and cultural degradation is avoided. By the late 1990’s, it became clear that the effort to mitigate these impacts and to make better use of shared resources has to be coordinated between all Alpine countries. Accordingly, the first transnational EU cooperation programme for the Alps was launched in 2000. Since then, two more editions of the programme, each running for seven years, have been approved. The third, and current, Interreg VB Alpine Space Programme was launched in 2014. With an increasing number | + | <font 12px/ |
wiki/alpine_space.1531747103.txt.gz · Last modified: 2018/07/16 15:18 by eurac