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Never lost for an idea. Since 1989, people from the Alpine Initiative have committed themselves to protecting the mountains they live in. They win every referendum and their style is known all over Europe: competent, convincing and always good for a surprise.

In 2016, the Alpine Initiative handed over its archive (with annual reports and accounts, correspondence, files on actions and campaigns, topic dossiers and printed matter) to the Swiss Social Archives. The holdings can be consulted in the reading room of the Swiss Social Archive without any restrictions on use.

Schweizerisches Sozialarchiv
Foto: alpen-Initiative /
2 May 2024

February 2024

30 years ago – on 20 February 1994 – the Swiss people said yes to the Alpine Initiative. At the anniversary event, the panelists not only looked back on our eventful history, but also debated the future of transalpine traffic.

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10 October 2023

October 2023

The Migros dog snack travels 20,280 kilometres. This absurdity was honoured with the “Devil’s Stone” by 4,200 voters. The “Mountain Crystal Award” goes to “OVO Logistique Urbaine”.

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Übergabe Teufelsstein an Swiss Helikopter, Foto: Alpen-Initiative, Mathias Nutt
10 January 2023

October 2022

With nearly 7,000 votes, the Swiss Helicopter service was awarded this year’s (in)famous “Devil’s Stone”. The “Mountain Crystal Award” goes to “Auprès de mon arbre”, a counter-example that avoids transport.

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Übergabe der Petition “Stopp Gefahrguttransporte am Simplon” vom 23. August 2022 – Quelle: Alpen-Initiative
14 September 2022

August 2022

The Alpine Initiative submits its “Stop hazardous goods shipments over the Simplon Pass” petition, in which 4,769 people ask the Valais government to demand that the authorities in Bern ban hazardous goods shipments across the Pass.

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Resolution “Stopp Gefahrguttransporte”, Mitgliederversammlung 14.Mai 2022
5 July 2022

May 2022

Shipments of hazardous goods across the Simplon Pass are ticking time bombs. This is why the Alpine Initiative launched a petition at its General Meeting in Martigny. It wants the Valais government to ask the Swiss Federal government to ban hazardous goods shipments across the Simplon Pass.

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Animation: Unfall am Simplon,
16 October 2021

September 2021

Forty times a day, trucks carrying hazardous goods across the Simplon Pass run the risk of causing irreparable damage to humans and nature. In an animated film, the Alpine Initiative simulates a possible disaster scenario.

23 September 2021

September 2021

Australian Chardonnay sold in Swiss COOP supermarkets was awarded this year’s (in)famous “Devil’s Stone”. The “Mountain Crystal” award goes to Revendo, an electronic upcycling enterprise.

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Alpenfeuer auf dem Niederbauen. Foto: Alpen-Initiative / Christof Hirtler
23 September 2021

August 2021

Freight transport within Switzerland also is increasingly being transferred from the environmentally-friendly rail network back to the roads. At this year’s “Alpine bonfire” event, the Alpine Initiative denounced this concerning development.

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Lucia Lauener-Zwyer, Django Betschart
23 September 2021

August 2021

Django Betschart is taking over as the new Director of the Alpine Initiative. Lucia Lauener-Zwyer will continue her work for the Alpine Initiative as its Chief Financial and Organisational Officer.

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Logo Co2-Kampagne 2021
22 June 2021

June 2021

By saying NO to the CO2 Act in a national vote, the Swiss people rejected the Paris Climate Agreement, which had been ratified by the Swiss Confederation. How can we now halve our CO2 emissions, as promised? There is no prospect of measures likely to command a majority. This means that the Alps will continue to be exposed to unchecked climate warming. The mountain regions concerned lack money for protective measures. The Alpine Initiative is now demanding urgent measures. These are absolutely essential.

 

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