On World Environment Day on the 5th of June, the first Climate Hour is taking place across the Alps. Initiated by the Swiss Presidency of the Alpine Convention and supported by the Permanent Secretariat, the Climate Hour aims to show that each of us can do something for climate protection in the Alps. On the day, events will take place across the entire Alpine arc, from the Vercors Nature Park in France to Tolmin in the south of the Julian Alps. For those of you who are still undecided which event to attend, you can find an overview of the broad thematic diversity here.
If you enjoy outdoor activities, you will definitely appreciate the events being organised in Bern (Switzerland), in the Vercors Nature Park (France), or in one of the Alpine Convention Infopoints in Chamonix (France), Villach (Austria), or Tolmin (Slovenia). In each of these places, philosophical and artistic walks as well as hikes and excursions are being organised to enable participants to experience unique Alpine nature and learn about the effects of climate change on the ground.
Those interested in biodiversity and local seeds can visit the Slovenian Alpine Museum at the Alpine Convention’s Infopoint in Mojstrana or choose between Zernez and Poschiavo in Graubünden (Switzerland). Participants can experience “climate protection on their plate” by taking a food tour to the Treschhütte mountain hut in central Switzerland.
For architecture enthusiasts, the exhibition on sustainable building and renovation in the Alps in Lugano (Switzerland) will be a good option, or the conference on architecture, climate protection and adaptation organised by the Italian Morbegno Infopoint on site or online. In Chambéry, France, urban biodiversity will be the theme of an entire week of activities. And CIPRA, the International Commission for the Protection of the Alps, will be opening the doors to its “Network Workshop Alps” in Schaan, Liechtenstein.
If you are looking for an activity for the whole family, you can drop by the Permanent Secretariat of the Alpine Convention in Innsbruck, which is organising a scavenger hunt with stations on sustainable living in the city. Meanwhile, children and young people in Schaan can visit the Sun Festival to try out exciting experiments on the topic of energy.
Last but not least, it will also be possible to follow the Climate Hour from home. Radio BUH from Grassau will be broadcasting exciting interviews for one (climate) hour at 9:00am on the 5th of June. The network of municipalities Alliance in the Alps will be organising a virtual workshop on forests in climate change. The Infopoint Domodossola will stream its conference on climate change in the Alps on YouTube, while the Infopoint Grand Paradis is producing a video on the effects of climate change on local glaciers.
For more information on all Climate Hour events, see the event map. We look forward to seeing you there!