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New report on energy and nature in the Alps

01.08.2014

One of the central outcomes of the “International conference on balancing renewable energy and nature in the Alps” is that local residents need to be involved at all stages of the process when planning renewable energy development. Further, decisions to implement the energy transition should not be made under time pressure but rather in accordance with a forward-looking strategy. These and all discussions from the mid-term conference of the recharge.green project, which took place in November 2013 in Brig, Switzerland, are now summarized in a report that is available online in English.

The Alps have great potential as a source of renewable energy and could contribute significantly to mitigation of climate change. This role, however, may mean increasing pressure on nature. To develop strategies and tools for decision-making on renewable energy, the project recharge.green brings together partners and representatives from nature conservation organisations, the energy industry, administration and science from all over the Alpine space. A key component is the analysis and comparison of the costs and benefits of renewable energy, ecosystem services and potential trade-offs.

The recharge.green project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund in the Alpine Space Programme.

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