Advocating for Mont Blanc
20.11.2014
For more than 20 years, ProMONT-BLANC, a tri-national umbrella non-governmental organization (NGO), has been urging international protection status for the highest mountain massif in the European Alps and in the European Union. Though Mont Blanc has been inscribed on the tentative lists of both France and Italy for nomination as a World Heritage site for 14 years now, many of the municipalities surrounding the massif on the French, Italian and Swiss sides prefer not to request this international recognition of its uniqueness.
Together with its member organizations Mountain Wilderness and WWF of the three countries, ProMONT-BLANC led another public discussion on the future of Mont-Blanc again this year.
The volunteers of ProMONT-BLANC are involved in preparatory working groups of the ‘Espace Mont-Blanc’ (an assembly of 35 municipalities of the three countries) for a trans-boundary management plan, in others for adaptive measures to climate change, for regulation of access to the region and its heights, for transport-pollution-noise issues and for the reduction of air traffic, for example.
As observers of the Conférence Transfontalière du Mont-Blanc, ProMONT-BLANC promotes more sustainable development in the strongly frequented tourism centres at the foot of Mont-Blanc and participates actively in the preparation of the transborder Stratégie de l’Avenir (Strategy for the Future), which is to be financed by the EU INTERREG programme.
As observers of the Alpine Convention , ProMONT-BLANC supports the implementation of its protocols in the Mont-Blanc region and participates in the Convention working groups on the harmonization of World Heritage nominations in the Alps and on Ecological networks and corridors across the Alps.
To mobilize and interconnect local environment-related initiatives, local politicians and companies as well as foresters, hunters and farmers, ProMONT-BLANC recently created the French network Trans’Versant which organizes public conferences and aims to increase transparency and launch joint projects for a better environment and more respectful mountaineering.
The Council members of ProMONT-BLANC regularly inform the 20 member organizations (the Alpine Clubs and international, national and local environmental associations of the three countries) and the multiple partner organizations of current developments and urgent threats in the Mont-Blanc region. Read more
Photo: FAO/Richard Slaby
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