Commonly referred to as “Europe's water tower”, the Alps provide fresh water to vast areas downstream, contributing to 40% of Europe's water supply. Alpine waters define a distinctive landscape and are essential for providing various services such as drinking water, agricultural support and hydroelectric power generation, as well as recreational activities.
However, Alpine waters are increasingly threatened by the impact of climate change, which jeopardises the loss of natural water basins and, with them, the ecosystems and populations that depend on them. In addition to climate pressures, conflicts and competition over water use are intensifying.
Although this crisis presents us with an unprecedented challenge, it also offers us an opportunity to rethink the way we treat water, no longer as an infinite resource to be exploited, but as a resource that must be managed responsibly and with a sense of reciprocity.
During the 2nd EUSALP Landscape Conference, organised by EUSALP Action Group 6 and held in Bolzano/Bozen on 30 September 2025, almost 50 experts and stakeholders gathered to discuss current challenges, cross-sectoral solutions and emerging theories aimed at safeguarding this fundamental resource and facilitating the construction of a reciprocal relationship with it, ensuring that Alpine waters continue to support both ecosystems and communities in the Alps and beyond.
The material is now available via this Padlet.