The “Alps Protection Convention” (Alps Convention), signed in Salzburg on November 7th 1991, was born out of the demand to conserve this particular biogeographic region, rich in animal and vegetal species, more and more threatened by human exploitation.


The goal of this international convention, within the framework of the Convention (coherent with chapter 13 of Agenda 21 which is concerned with the durable appraisal of the mountains) is the long-term protection of the natural Alps ecosystems. The Alps Convention attempts to create the necessary conditions for a durable development of the Alps, and it encourages international cooperation to find common solutions to the problems, in order to harmonize the level of conservation of the whole territory. The distinct stages, the possibilities of action and development, but also the measures for a durable use of the resources, are governed by the Protocols of action.


The 12 main subject matters of interest for the Convention are:

- Territorial planning and sustainable development;
- Nature protection and landscape conservation;
- Mountain agriculture;
- Mountain forests;
- Soil protection;
- Tourism and leisure activities;
- Energy;
- Transport;
- Conservation of air quality;
- Hydro-economy;
- Populations and crops;
- Economy of the waste.


Methods for solving periodic controversy are examined by the Protocol as concerning the composition of such controversies.


In a territory of 190.600 km2 distributed into 8 states (Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Slovenia, Switzerland and the Principality of Monaco), 83 regions and 5.800 towns, the Alps is the first geographical region of the world for which a specific international convention on conservation has been signed.

Map showing the territory constituted by the Alps Convention (© 2002 Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio Direzione Generale per la Protezione Internazionale dell'Ambiente – Italia); source: http://www.alpenkonvention.org/page4a_en.htm.

With this Convention, the alpine states as well as the European Union recognise legally and politically that the Alps are a particularly sensitive geographical zone, with a natural heritage of great value that has to be strictly protected.

Photo: Gentiana clusii, endemic species of the Alps (© 2005 Andrea Moro); Alps, panorama (© 2005 Pietro Pavone - DBUC).

For more information about the Alps Convention.