This issue of cc.alps-compact presents an overview of spatial planning-related measures in the Alps to ameliorate the effects of climate change and promote adjustments to it. The second chapter explains CIPRA‘s key concerns: If spatial planning is to play a key role in climate protection, a number of things have to change, because in the case of conflicts of goals regarding the interests of individual sectors, special interests and of utilisation rationales, spatial planning is usually relegated to the backseat. Spatial planning and its instruments may contribute to securing swamps, forests and river zones as well as areas for the production of renewable energy sources. What is decisive, though, for spatial planning decisions with respect to spatial and settlement structures is to shift decision-making from the local to the regional level. Apart from the classic instruments of spatial planning, what is needed for negotiating spatial interests are new forms and models of collaboration.
In Chapter Three the detailed relations are analysed and described in depth, and in Chapter Four the author summarises the most important findings and conclusions. Chapter Five presents exemplary projects for climate-friendly spatial planning measures in the Alps: for example, the spatial concept of Switzerland that contains elements to encourage transport-reducing settlement structures; the new guidelines for residential construction in Austria; intercommunal cooperation models for plant establishments, and the “Projet Village 2003-2013” in the French municipality of Les Gets. These examples show us how it can be done and encourage others to do the same. Chapter Six contains literature and background information for further reading.