ALPINE REGIONS COMMITTED FOR THEIR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The added value of European cooperation within EUSALP to tackle green and digital transitions was underlined by the participants in a workshop of the European Week of Regions and Cities.
"Sustainable development of mountain destinations and territories: inspiration from the Alpine regions" was the focus of this session of the European Week of Regions and Cities 2021 (EWRC) organized by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Lombardy, Salzburg and Valle d’Aosta Regions on October 12th. Introduced by Mr. Fabrice Pannekoucke, Regional Counsellor in charge of Mountain valley areas of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region and representative of EUSALP French Presidency, the panel of political representatives of the 4 Regions was completed by Mrs. Brigitta Pallauf, President of the Regional Parliament of Salzburg and Member of the Committee of the Regions, Mr. Raffaele Cattaneo, Regional Minister for Environment and Climate of Lombardy Region, Mr. Luciano Caveri, Regional Minister for Education, University, Youth Policies, European Affairs, Companies with regional participation of Autonomous Region Valle d'Aosta.
They all emphasized the need, in a post-crisis world faced with climate change, to rethink the development of their mountain territories in a sustainability approach. They pointed out the challenges but also the opportunities of green and digital transitions for their Alpine regions, illustrated by several concrete projects implemented in the field of health tourism, sustainable mobility, smart villages and local resources and heritage. Mr. Fabrice Pannekoucke, Regional Counsellor in charge of Mountain valley areas of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region has in particular highlighted the valley lifts as an alternative mobility solution developed between valleys and ski resorts as well as the priority given by the Region to hydrogen mobility, also put forward during EUSALP French Presidency. For the political representatives of the Regions the European alpine macroregional strategy represents an asset in enabling the Alpine regions united in diversity to face common challenges. They all underlined its added value as a living laboratory of green economy and innovation, encouraging in particular numerous experiments within the framework of INTERREG projects. Moreover Emmanuelle George, researcher at INRAE in Grenoble presented a project for a network of mountain resorts committed in the transition processes which will apply to the first call for proposals of INTERREG Alpine Space 2021-2027.
The recording of the session will be available from 22nd October on Swapcard and on #EURegionsWeek official website.