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Mountains for Europe‘s Future. A Strategic Research Agenda.

Authors:

Abstract

This strategic research agenda is the product of an enthusiastic year-long collaboration between researchers based in centres of excellence, across many different disciplines and European countries. Our primary goal is to highlight the importance of mountains in providing insights and solutions to many of Europe’s pressing challenges. To this end, we call for the inclusion of specificc call topics on mountain research within the 2018 – 2020 Work Programmes of Horizon 2020. „Mountains for Europe’s Future” aims to raise awareness of the many contributions that mountains make, and can make, to life in the lowlands. It communicates the growing pressures on mountain regions and provides an overview of key challenges and opportunities. Europe’s mountains are not only amongst the regions where the effects of climate change are most evident, but are experiencing notable land use change and significant losses of rural populations. Some of Europe’s less developed regions are in mountainous areas, yet mountains are among the most important providers of natural resources. Many mountain areas are at risk of becoming primarily touristic destinations for urban citizens, with negative impacts on cultural and natural heritage. Such challenges require original solutions that will bring benefits both in the mountains and more widely across Europe. Interdisciplinary research in mountains can contribute very positively to addressing Horizon 2020 priorities, as well as to wider EU policy goals. Such research can play an important role in making mountain regions more competitive, innovative and able to contribute strongly to the European Commission’s economic growth and sustainability agenda. Equally, mountain areas are places to develop and deploy new technologies, and can be test-beds for innovative solutions to many of Europe’s most pressing challenges – not only in the mountains, but also in other areas with sparse populations and/ or where access is a challenge. However, to date the Horizon 2020 calls have not adequately covered interdisciplinary research in mountain areas. Consequently, this document makes a compelling case for why this important gap should befilled within the 2018– 2020 calls. The proposed research will also contribute towards implementing the European Commission’s Action Plan for the Alpine Region, which makes a specific commitment to achieving its goals through projects financed under Horizon 2020. We believe that the evidence and recommendations we present should encourage the European Commission to include specific call topics on mountain research within the 2018 – 2020 Work Programmes of Horizon 2020, and inspire researchers as they prepare their proposals.
Mountains for Europe‘s Future
A
Strate
g
ic Research A
g
enda
A
n input to the Horizon 2020 Work Programmes and Calls 2018 2020
A
pril 2016
mri
mountain research initiative IGF INTERDISZIPLINÄRE GEBIRGSFORSCHUNG
INTERDISCIPLINARY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH
I
C
A
S
CH AT
Alliance
S
upported by
Contribution by
T
his publication was supported by the
Swiss State Secretariat
f
or Education
,
Research and Innovation
,
SERI
a
nd by th
e
A
ustrian Federal Ministry o
f
Science, Research and Economy, bmw
f
w
roject lead and production by
T
he Mountain Research Initiativ
e
c/o Institute o
f
Geography
University o
f
Bern
E
rlachstrasse
9
a Trakt
3
3012 Bern
,
Switzerlan
d
d
rexler@giub.unibe.ch
I
nstitute o
f
Interdisciplinary Mountain Research
A
ustrian Academy o
f
Science
s
Tec
hnik
e
r
s
tr. 21
a
6020 Innsbruck
,
Austri
a
v
alerie.braun
@
oeaw.ac.at
5
Table of Contents
Executive summary
6
W
hy are mountains important
f
or everyone?
9
Key recommendations 1
4
Proposals
f
or research
H
ealth, demographic change and well-being 16
F
ood security, sustainable agriculture and
f
orestry 2
0
Secure
,
clean and e
f
À
cient energy 24
À
Smart, green and integrated transport 2
8
Climate action
,
environment
,
resource e
f
À
ciency and raw materials 32
À
E
urope in a changing world 36
Europe’s mountain re
g
ions 41
Editor
s
V
alerie Braun, Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, ÖAW, Austri
a
D
erek Christie, Ecole polytechnique
f
édérale de Lausanne, Switzerlan
d
B
ernat Claramunt, CREAF-UAB, Barcelona, Spain
T
homas Dax
,
Federal Institute
f
or Mountainous and Less-Favoured Areas
,
Austri
a
Claudia Drexler
,
The Mountain Research Initiative
,
MRI
,
Switzerlan
d
I
gor Jelen, Deptartment o
f
Political and Social Science, University o
f
Trieste, Italy
R
obert Kanka, Institute o
f
Landscape Ecology, Bratislava, Slovaki
a
N
ikolas Katsoulakos, National Technical University o
f
Athens, Greec
e
Gaël Le Roux
,
CNRS
,
Ecolab
,
Toulouse
,
Franc
e
M
artin Price, The Centre
f
or Mountain Studies, Perth College, University o
f
the
H
ighlands & Islands UHI, U
K
T
homas Scheurer, Interacademic Commission
f
or Alpine Studies, ICAS, Switzerlan
d
R
ol
f
Weingartner, Institute o
f
Geography, University o
f
Bern, Switzerlan
d
Co-Author
s
B
ulent Acma, Charles Abbott, Astrid Björnsen-Gurung, Axel Borsdor
f
, Philippe Bour-
d
eau, Christopher Carcaillet, Anna Giorgi, Sandra MacRury, Rob Marchant, Andreas
M
uhar, Ana-Claudia Popartan, Edward Ricketts, Emanuela Zilio
C
itation
D
rexler
,
C.
,
V. B raun
,
D. Christie
,
B. Claramunt
,
T. Dax
,
I. Jelen
,
R. Kanka
,
N. Kat-
s
oulakos, G. Le Roux, M. Price, T. Scheurer & R. Weingartner 2016. Mountains
f
or
E
urope‘s Future – A strategic research agenda
.
Ima
g
e
s
F
ront page Lake o
f
Zürich and Glarner Alpen, CH, © Alessandro Della Bella, Switzerlan
d
p. 8, 16, 18 © Flowersways voyages, Franc
e
p. 8, 20, 22 Alp Vorder Bonder, CH, © Claudia Drexler, MRI Switzerlan
d
p. 8, 24, 26 Grande Dixence, CH, © Grande Dixence SA – Photo: essencedesign.com
p. 8, 28, 30 Grossglockner Passstrasse, AT, ©
Ö
sterreich Werbung, Fotograf: Homberger
p. 8, 32, 34 Greenland, © Martin Price, CMS, UHI, U
K
p. 8, 36, 38 Sion, CH © Sion, Switzerland by David Mark, US
Layout
V
alerie Braun
,
Claudia Drexler
,
Alexander Hermann
Final Editin
g
E
rin Gleeson
,
MRI
,
Switzerland & Martin Price
,
CMS
,
UHI
,
U
K
6
7
Executive Summary
T
his strategic research agenda is the product o
f
an enthusiastic year-long collabo-
ration between researchers based in centres o
f
excellence, across many di
ff
erent
d
isciplines and European countries. Our primary goal is to highlight the importance
o
f
mountains in providing insights and sol
u
t
ions to many o
f
Europe’s pressing chal-
lenges. To this end, we call
f
or the inclusion o
f
speci
À
c call topics on mountain
À
research within the 2018
2
020 Work Programmes o
f
Horizon 2020
.
Mountains
f
or Europe’s Future” aims to raise awareness o
f
the many contribu-
t
ions that mountains make
,
and can make
,
to li
f
e in the lowlands. It communicates
t
he growing pressures on mountain regions and provides an overview o
f
key chal-
lenges and opportunities. Europe’s mountains are not only amongst the regions
where the e
ff
ects o
f
climate change are most evident, but are experiencing notable
land use change and signi
À
cant losses of rural populations. Some of Europe’s less
À
d
eveloped regions are in mountainous areas, yet mountains are among the most
i
mportant providers o
f
natural resources. Many mountain areas are at risk o
f
be-
coming primarily touristic destinations
f
or urban citizens, with negative impacts on
cultural and natural heritage. Such challenges require original solutions that will
bring ben
e
À
ts both in the mountains and more widely across Europe.
À
I
nterdisciplinary research in mountains can contribute very positively to address-
i
ng Horizon 2020 priorities, as well as to wider EU policy goals. Such research can
play an important role in making mountain regions more competitive, innovative
a
nd able to contribute strongly to the European Commission’s economic growth
a
nd sustainability agenda. Equally, moun
t
ain areas are places to develop and de-
ploy new technologies, and can be test-beds
f
or innovative solutions to many o
f
E
urope’s most pressing challenges – not only in the mountains, but also in other ar-
eas with sparse populations and/
o
r where access is a challenge. However, to date
t
he Horizon 2020 calls have not adequately covered interdisciplinary research in
mountain areas. Consequently, this document makes a compelling case
f
or why this
i
mportant gap should be
À
lled within the 2018
À
2020 calls. The proposed research
will also contribute towards implementing the European Commission’s Action Plan
f
or the Alpine Region, which makes a speci
À
c commitment to achieving its goals
À
t
hrough projects
À
nanced under Horizon 2020.
À
We believe that the evidence and recommendations we present should encour-
a
ge the European Commission to include speci
À
c call topics on mountain research
À
within the 2018
2020 Work Programmes o
f
Horizon 2020, and inspire researchers
a
s they prepare their proposals
.
The three sections o
f
this document:
»8 reasons why mountains are important at the European scale;
»6 key recommendations
f
or activities on mountain topics within Horizon 2020;
»6 sets o
f
proposals
f
or interdisciplinary research in mountains to be included
i
n
f
uture Horizon 2020 calls, structured according to the programme’s Societal
Challenges
.
8
9
Why are mountains important ...
for everyone?
F
or most people, the mention o
f
mountains conjures up images o
f
hiking and ski-
i
ng, cows and cheese,
f
resh air and
f
resh snow. However, mountains are
f
ar more
t
han inspirational backgrounds or a setting
f
or bucolic
f
arms and
f
amily hikes.
M
ountains actively provide ecosystem services
f
or all Europeans, even those liv-
i
ng in distant lowland regions. Every sixth
E
uropean citizen lives in the mountains,
a
nd the quality o
f
li
f
e o
f
every European depends on the goods and services that
mountains provide
.
We need to shi
f
t our understanding o
f
mountains. They can o
ff
er unique solu-
t
ions and insights into many o
f
the most pressing challenges currently
f
aced by
E
urope –
f
or example, how to ensure smart transport, clean energy, or sustainable
t
ourism. Mountain regions must be viewed as places where new technologies can
be tested and deployed, and as test-beds
f
or innovative solutions to societal issues.
T
he inclusion o
f
call topic
s
o
n m
ou
nt
a
in
s
in th
e
2
0
1
8
– 2
0
2
0
ca
ll
s
of
H
o
riz
o
n 2
0
2
0
would help to ensure that this new under
s
t
anding o
f
the potential o
f
mountains is
f
ully in line with the major objectives o
f
the Europe 2020 strategy
f
or smart, sustain-
a
ble and inclusive growth, and with the EU Strategy
f
or the Alpine Region
.
T
oday, Europe’s mountains
f
ace a range o
f
challenges that demand increased
research e
ff
orts and concerted policy solutions. From shrinking populations to re-
t
reating glaciers, the
f
uture o
f
mountains and the lowland populations that depend
o
n their services hinge on how policy makers o
f
ten in distant cities address the chal-
lenges o
f
managing mountain resources and supporting mountain populations in
a
rapidly changing world. As the
f
ollowin
g
eight points illustrate, answering these
challenges – and taking advantage o
f
the resultant opportunities – is
f
undamental
t
o Europe’s
f
uture
.
1 -
Mountain ran
g
es transcend political boundarie
s
M
ountain ranges cover 36 percent o
f
Europe’s area and cross many national bor-
d
ers. The Alps and the Carpathians,
f
or example, are each shared by 7 coun-
t
ries, highlighting the need
f
or research and policies that transcend boundaries.
M
ountains are o
f
ten portrayed as high outposts
f
or lonely shepherds or adventur-
o
us hikers. The reality is that mountain regions heavily in
Á
uence, and are heavily
Á
i
n
Á
uenced by, lowland areas – both nearby and distant – and are part of global
Á
10
11
economic systems. However, the cause-e
ff
ect relationships o
f
these interdependen-
cies are not well known. From timber and minerals to tourists and hydroelectricity,
mountains and lowland areas are linked by dynamic
Á
ows of goods and services
Á
t
hat are important to the well-being and security o
f
people in all parts o
f
Europe.
N
atural disasters originating in mountains have e
ff
ects
f
rom local to regional scales,
i
ncluding downstream areas, e. g.
Á
oods, whose detrimental impacts can only be
Á
minimized by care
f
ul management o
f
mountain resources
.
2
- Mountains are part o
f
Europe’s cultural herita
ge
E
urope’s mountains and their cultural landscapes, which have evolved through cen-
t
uries o
f
interactions between people and ecosystems, are part o
f
our common
heritage. They are crucial not only
f
or the identity
f
or every sixth European who lives
i
n the mountains
,
but also
f
or over 150 million people who visit mountains each
y
ear
f
or the recreational and cultural opportunities they o
ff
er. Mountains contribute
t
o the security and health o
f
mountain and non-mountain populations. In an in-
creasingly urbanised, high-paced world, mountains represent crucial retreats where
people can recreate, recharge and re-engage with nature and with themselves.
B
oth tourists and people living outside mo
u
ntain areas enjoy high-quality mountain
products – such as cheese, mineral water and wine – that are emblematic o
f
local
cultures and can contribute signi
À
cantly to mountain economies.
À
3
- Mountains are water tower
s
M
ountains are the water towers o
f
Europe, supplying disproportionate amounts o
f
runo
ff
to Europe’s rivers in comparison to lowland areas. The Alps,
f
or example,
cover only 10 percent o
f
the basin o
f
the Danube but contribute 25 percent o
f
its
Á
ow. For the Rhine, the respective proportions are 15 and 34 percent. Similarly,
Á
mountains provide a signi
À
cant proportion of Europe’s hydropower, a clean and
À
renewable source o
f
energy. Yet the temperature o
f
mountain lakes, rivers and
s
treams has increased in recent decades. The continuation o
f
this trend, together
with the continued retreat o
f
glaciers, seasonal changes in runo
ff
and snow cover,
a
s well as more
f
requent and severe
Á
oods, will lead to signi
Á
À
cant changes in water
À
a
vailability, with impacts on both human and natural systems. Con
Á
icts between
Á
u
sers are likely to increase. All o
f
these changes imply a greater need
f
or more e
f
-
f
ective policies and management processes to address uncertainty
.
4
- Mountains are biodiversity hotspot
s
E
urope’s mountains are centres o
f
biodiversity. Alpine ecosystems above the treeline
cover only 3 percent o
f
Europe’s area, but host 20 percent o
f
its native vascular
plant species. Mountains are also re
f
uges
f
or many endemic species,
f
ound in very
restricted areas. Hal
f
o
f
Europe’s High Nature Value
f
armland is in mountain areas,
a
nd 15 percent o
f
their total area is protected as national parks, nature reserves
a
nd other types o
f
protected areas. Yet both intensi
À
cation and land abandonment
À
a
re homogenising the landscapes o
f
many mountain areas, increasing their
f
orest
cover and reducing their biodiversity. While agricultural management on economi-
cally pro
À
table sites is being intensi
À
À
ed, remote areas and those with potentially
À
lower yields are being abandoned. Mountains are also key habitats
f
or large car-
nivores such as wolves and bears, as well as
f
or large ungulates. The expansion o
f
f
orests there
f
ore both provides opportunities
f
or reintroducing native species and
represents a challenge with respect to con
Á
icts between expanding carnivore popu-
Á
lations, livestock and people
.
5
- People need mountains, and mountains need peopl
e
L
and abandonment is one symptom o
f
a long-term negative trend in socio-eco-
n
o
mi
c
co
n
d
iti
o
n
s
th
a
t
c
h
a
r
ac
t
e
ri
ses
th
e
r
u
ral parts o
f
most mountain regions in
E
urope. Since the mid-2
0
t
h century, advances in technology and globalisation have
d
ramatically reduced the need
f
or labour in agricultural production, and there has
been a strong decline in birth rates in rural mountain regions. Together with in-
creasing out-migration due to reduced econ
o
mic opportunities, decreasing natural
population balances have led to shrinking and ageing populations in many areas.
T
hese trends exacerbate the challenges
f
or economic development and service pro-
v
ision that these regions
f
ace. They also represent challenges
f
or landscape man-
a
gement and tourism, as the patchwork o
f
f
orests and pastures that characterise
a
gricultural landscapes are both important
f
or biodiversity and attractive to tourists
.
6
- Mountains are sentinels o
f
chan
ge
M
ountain areas are tightly linked to their surrounding regions and are experienc-
i
ng rapid economic, demographic and land use changes. These will impact and
a
lter pre-existing economic, social and environmental relationships. Furthermore,
f
uture climate change will a
ff
ect mountainous areas and alter temperature and
precipitation regimes, global radiation and relative humidity. These changes will
have impacts on
Á
oods, droughts, snow cover, glacier and permafrost retreat, natu-
Á
ral hazards and species. Species in mountainous areas,
f
or example, are already
experiencing a range shi
f
t towards higher altitudes due to increasing temperatures.
12
13
H
owever, small-scale habitat diversity
a
common
f
eature in mountain environ-
ments – also sa
f
eguards mountain biota against species losses. All these predicted
a
nd ongoing changes will in
Á
uence societies in mountains as well as in the adjacent
Á
lowlands and will challenge their adaptive capacities
.
7
- Mountain economies are diverse and provide resources
f
or the
economies o
f
wider re
g
ion
s
I
t is a common perception that mountain people live mainly in remote and iso-
lated areas shaped by
f
arming and tourism. However, mountain economies are
not limited to primary and tertiary sector activities, nor are they independent o
f
the
s
urrounding lowlands. In EU Member States, only in Cyprus and Portugal is more
t
h
a
n
a
À
fth of the mountain population employed in the primary sector; in most
À
mountain regions, the proportion is less than 10 percent. In the Alps, one o
f
the
world’s most popular tourist destinations, tourism-related activities are concentrated
i
n only 10 percent o
f
Alpine communities. Depending on the availability o
f
energy
a
nd raw materials, the proximity o
f
major settlements in and around European
mountains, and the accessibility o
f
international transport networks, spatially con-
centrated manu
f
acturing and secondary sector activities shape mountain societies
a
nd environments. Together with the expansion o
f
in
f
ormation and communication
i
n
f
rastructure, all these interacting processes
f
orm a complex reality – both rural
a
n
d
u
r
ba
n – th
a
t i
s
r
e
Á
ected in the great spatial variability of European mountain
Á
eco
n
o
mi
es.
8
- Mountains have the potential to be viable, vibrant places to live
and wor
k
I
n most European mountain regions, outside urban areas, there is a lack o
f
e
f
À
cient
À
a
nd environmentally sustainable transport, including local roads and railways, o
f
e
ff
ective In
f
ormation and Communication Technology
(
ICT
)
and o
f
networks
(
e. g.
limited broadband
)
. The complex topography
of
mountain areas presents particular
challenges in terms o
f
transport access, which is essential
f
or all economic activities.
S
imilarly, there has been a lag in the installation o
f
ICT in
f
rastructures, which are es-
s
ential
f
or connecting mountains with the r
e
s
t o
f
Europe and the world. Addressing
i
nadequate transportation and ICT in
f
rastructure is vital not only
f
or many aspects
o
f
economic development, but also
f
or institutional development and capacity, gov-
ernance, and the delivery o
f
health, education and other services
.
E
urope’s mountains are too important
f
or the health o
f
the continent’s environment
,
economy and society to remain a low priority in research and policy discussions.
S
ustainable mountain development is there
f
ore a
f
undamental response to environ-
mental pressures and societal challenges. There is an urgent need
f
or innovative
a
pproaches supported by novel, integrated policies that work across borders and
between upland and lowland regions, and involve all concerned stakeholders. This
i
mplies an urgent need
f
or increased research e
ff
orts and concerted policy solu-
t
ions. These must take into account environmental and societal challenges, to e
ff
ec-
t
ively address the negative socio-economic
t
rends that currently characterise many
parts o
f
Europe’s mountains, and increase our ability to respond wisely to rapidly
changing conditions not only in the mountains
,
but across our continent
.
14
15
Key recommendations
Within the strategic
f
ramework o
f
Horizon 2020 in the 2018 2020 calls to de-
liver excellent science
f
or Europe, there should be increased attention to mountains,
bringing ben
e
À
ts both to the continent’s diverse mountain areas and to Europe as
À
a
whole
.
W
e recommend that
:
1.
T
h
e
2
0
1
8
–2020 calls under Horizon 2020 should include speci
À
c topics on
À
i
nterdisciplinary research on mountains. This is vitally important, as such re-
s
earch can o
ff
er insights and solutions to many pressing challenges currently
f
acing Europe. For example, many challenges in the climate and environment
À
elds have not yet been adequately addressed in Horizon 2020 calls. We
À
note that several call topics relating to the Arctic have been included in the
20
1
6
–2017 Work Programmes, and urge that a similar approach be taken
f
or
m
ou
nt
a
in r
esea
r
c
h in th
e
2
0
1
8
–2
0
2
0
ca
ll
s.
2
.
T
opics relating to mountain research in Horizon 2020 should
f
ocus on di
f
-
f
erent mountain ranges across Europe, concentrating on solutions to speci
f
-
i
c challenges that could be applied to other geographical areas and have
broader implications
f
or EU policy priorities. To date, EU-
f
unded research on
mountains has concentrated on the Alp
s
,
Nordic and Iberian mountains
,
and
t
hose o
f
the British Isles. Mountain ranges such as the Carpathians and Pyr-
enees have received less attention; the Balkans and Apennines even less. This
i
mplies the need
f
or a targeted approach to strengthen the cohesion o
f
Euro-
pean societies and territories
.
3
.
S
ome research projects
f
unded by Horizon 2020 in mountain areas should
extend beyond the usual 2
4
year cycle. This is because many changes can
o
nly be identi
À
ed and explored by research activities with longer and more
À
Á
exible time frames, with scope for reiteration and continued investigation of
Á
changes and adaptation processes. Crucially, mountain environments present
clear evidence o
f
the e
ff
ects o
f
climate change over many years: the retreat o
f
g
laciers and the upward movements o
f
plants on mountain summits are only
t
wo examples o
f
these e
ff
ects. However, the socio-economic implications o
f
s
uch e
ff
ects and the processes that drive them are complex and not yet clear
.
4
.
H
orizon 2020 should continue to promote dialogue and cooperation between
research and practice and to apply and disseminate research results using
e
ff
ective means o
f
communication. To improve the uses and impacts o
f
re-
s
earch, appropriate communication tools must be used to e
ff
ectively reach
d
i
ff
erent types o
f
stakeholders – including policy makers, entrepreneurs, jour-
nalists, and the public – in di
ff
erent mountain ranges across Europe, as well
a
s those outside the mountains who depend on the goods and services they
provide
.
5
.
R
ecognising that Horizon 2020 emphasises nature-based solutions towards
g
reening the economy and achieving sustainable development, such solutions
s
hould be applied especially in mountain areas, where global and climate
changes have crucial e
ff
ects. This would build on the call topics o
f
the current
E
nvironment and Climate Action Societal Challenge
.
6
.
H
orizon 2020 should lead to the strengthening o
f
research in
f
rastructure in
mountain areas, especially those that are marginalised, and contribute to the
productivity and competitiveness o
f
mountain economies
.
16
17
Rationale
One sixth o
f
Europe’s population lives in mountain areas, in both rural and urban
s
ettings. There are many interacting
f
actors that in
Á
uence demographic change.
Á
A
s these vary signi
À
cantly at every scale across these mountains, there are few
À
commonalities. Some mountain areas, especially in and around towns, cities and
t
ourist resorts, have increasing populations; other places are attracting „amenity
migrants”, and many areas, especially rural areas, are losing population. How-
ever, there is one very widespread trend: in almost all rural parts o
f
the mountains,
populations are ageing. This means that a major challenge is to maintain and
provide equitable services, especially in areas with limited accessibility. Access to
q
uick diagnosis and treatment in remote areas is essential not only
f
or active and
healthy ageing but also
f
or healthy communities. Although delivering high-quality
health and social care in remote and rural areas is challenging, the increased usage
of
e-Health technologies can help to improve accuracy in the diagnosis o
f
medical
conditions and their subsequent management,
f
acilitate sel
f
-care or on-going care
closer to home, and reduce numbers o
f
hospital admissions
.
On an increasingly urbanised continent, m
ou
nt
a
in
s
a
r
e
co
r
e
co
ntri
bu
t
o
r
s
t
o
ou
r
physical and mental health and well-being. They provide many social and environ-
mental amenities to the majority o
f
Europeans living outside the mountains – as
well as to mountain people. People livin
g
in m
ou
nt
a
in
a
r
eas
e
n
su
r
e
th
e
co
ntin
ued
provision o
f
these amenities ben
e
À
ting all of us. This may be jeopardised by the in-
À
creasing challenges to their social structures, especially when these challenges lead
t
o decreases in the number o
f
people active in agriculture and
f
orestry
.
I
n recent years, expertise in health and social care in remote and mountain-
ous environments has been growing. Nevertheless, to solve the major challenges
with regard to the health and well-being o
f
mountain people and contribute to the
s
trategic objectives o
f
Health 2020, there is a strong need
f
or enhanced European
cooperation. Horizon 2020 represents an ideal opportunity to do this, building on
t
he speci
À
c characteristics of mountain regions as unique test beds for developing
À
i
nnovative solutions to the challenges o
f
preventing, diagnosing and treating the
medical conditions o
f
people living in r
e
mote areas with limited access to health
a
nd social care in
f
rastructure. Such solutions need to be supported by strong lead-
ership, participatory governance and capacity building, and should contribute to
policy development
.
T
he inclusion o
f
speci
À
c health actions for mountain regions in Horizon 2020
À
will
f
urther enable the upscaling o
f
evidence-based innovations into less-developed
regions o
f
Europe. Many o
f
these are in mountainous areas, but the experience
g
ained can be used much more widely. Future cooperation should also build on the
s
uccess o
f
the European Innovation Partnership in Active and Healthy Ageing in the
a
reas o
f
independent living, age-
f
riendly environments and integrated care in the
community, and enable new solutions to be tested in mountainous areas
.
A
dditionally, human health ben
e
À
ts from experiencing nature. Communities in
À
mountain areas
,
as well as their visitors
,
can ben
e
À
t from positive interactions be-
À
t
ween nature, biodiversity, ecosystem services and health. In this context, ensuring
t
he participation o
f
the inhabitants o
f
mo
u
ntain communities in decision-making is
v
ital
f
or sustaining these communities and the environments on which they and mil-
lions o
f
visitors depend
f
or healthy lives
.
Health, demographic change,
and well-being
Proposals for research
18
19
Proposals for research activities
Enhance sustainable e-Health technolo
g
ies to prevent and mana
g
e
d
iseas
e
»
A
ssess and test concepts
f
or e-Health technologies to improve rates and ac-
curacy o
f
diagnosis in mountain areas
.
»
D
evelop innovative solutions to the challenges o
f
preventing, diagnosing and
t
reating medical conditions that a
f
Á
ict people in remote areas with limited ac-
Á
cess
t
o
h
ea
lth in
f
r
as
tr
uc
t
u
r
e.
»
E
valuate ways to implement e-Health technology to enhance pro
f
essional sup-
port, education and competency-based training
f
or remote care workers and
healthcare practitioners
.
»
I
nvestigate potential means o
f
supporting sel
f
-management through patient
education and training, including evidence-based decision support and guide-
lin
es.
»
E
valuate improvements in quality and equity o
f
health outcomes in mountain
a
r
eas
a
n
d
th
e
ir
eco
n
o
mi
c
be
n
e
À
ts.
À
Foster health-based tourism in mountain area
s
»
A
nalyse existing approaches
f
or health-based tourism in mountain areas and
means
f
or developing innovative strategies to provide health tourism that is
based on key mountain assets
.
Facilitate sustainable recreation and tourism developmen
t
»
A
ssess the e
ff
ects o
f
recreation and tourism development on the communities
a
n
d
eco
n
o
mi
es
of
m
ou
nt
a
in
a
r
eas.
»
E
xplore opportunities
f
or innovative approaches to recreation and tourism de-
v
elopment with low environmental impacts and high societal ben
e
À
ts to both
À
mountain communities and their visitors
.
Develop equitable models to provide services
f
or all a
g
e
s
»
E
xplore models
f
or multi-
f
unctional economies at household, settlement and
regional scales to stop losses o
f
young people
f
rom mountain areas
.
»
S
tudy ways to promote age-
f
riendly environments and integrated care units in
co
mm
u
niti
es
in m
ou
nt
a
in
ous
a
r
eas.
»
E
valuate how governance systems that include participatory decision-making
can ensure socially and economically sustainable and healthy communities in
m
ou
nt
a
in
a
r
eas.
Health, demographic change,
and well-being
20
21
Rationale
E
urope’s mountain areas contain 15 percent o
f
the continent’s Utilised Agricultural
A
rea and produce 11 percent o
f
European agricultural output, mainly
f
rom pasture
a
nd grassland
f
arming systems. In general, these use less
f
ertiliser and are less
mechanised than
f
arm management systems in lowland areas. However,
f
arm-
i
ng at high elevation requires small-scale
f
arming systems due to topography, and
t
hese tend to be less productive than more intensive lowland
f
arming systems. Nev-
ertheless, mountains represent a signi
À
cant production potential that will be needed
À
a
s demands
f
or
f
ood and energy increase. There is there
f
ore a strong case
f
or col-
laborative research at the European level to investigate new ways o
f
producing not
only
f
ood and
f
orest products, but also renewable biological resources and convert-
i
ng these into vital products and bio-energy. A key priority should be to create more
r
es
ili
e
nt
a
n
d
r
esou
r
ce
-
ef
À
cient value chains. Research on all of these topics would
À
contribute directly to the implementation and re
f
orm o
f
the Common Agricultural
P
olicy and the
f
uture orientation o
f
the European Bioeconomy Strategy
.
T
he lower pro
À
tability of traditional farming practices, compounded by climate
À
change, the ageing o
f
f
arming populations and, o
f
ten, lack o
f
interest among
y
ounger generations, mean that these systems are at risk o
f
disappearing. This
would lead to
f
urther land-use changes in mountain areas and endanger the provi-
s
ion o
f
a range o
f
public goods. This is critical not only
f
or
f
ood security but also
f
or
many ecosystem services deriving
f
rom these low-input systems. Joint action across
t
he European research community is crucial
f
or addressing this challenge because
À
nding strategies to overcome the effects of global and climate change will have
À
positive e
ff
ects across Europe’s mountain regions and downstream
.
F
orests cover 41 percent o
f
Europe’s mountain area: a proportion that is increas-
i
ng. These
f
orests have become essential
f
or many mountain economies, particu-
larly since the advent o
f
new technologies
f
or harvesting timber in di
f
À
cult terrain.
À
M
any o
f
these
f
orests are not particularly productive, but play key roles by regulat-
i
ng the water cycle and by protecting settlements and other in
f
rastructure
f
rom
natural hazards such as avalanches
,
rock
f
alls and
Á
oods. They also represent a
Á
g
reat potential
f
or biomass production and carbon storage, especially given the
i
ncreasing levels o
f
CO
2
in the atmosphere. In all o
f
these regards, there is great
potential
f
or mountain
f
orests to contribute to the implementation o
f
the EU Forest
S
trategy and the Environment Action Programme
.
Given the e
ff
ects o
f
climate change,
f
orests and extensive agricultural systems
a
re also likely to play increasingly important roles in regulating water
Á
ows and pre-
Á
v
enting
Á
oods in mountain areas and adjacent lowlands. The Horizon 2020 Work
Á
P
rogramme 201
6
2
017 considers
f
orest production systems that are resilient to
climate change and natural disturbances;
f
uture calls should especially emphasise
mountain
f
orests within wider landscapes that provide a wide range o
f
ecosystem
s
ervices at regional scales
.
T
he competitiveness o
f
mountain
f
arm and
f
orest businesses is restricted by
higher production costs due to di
f
À
cult topography, remoteness from markets, poor
À
a
ccessibility and sparsity o
f
businesses, resulting in high transport costs, limited
eco
n
o
mi
es
of
sca
l
e
a
n
d
in
ef
À
cient supply chains. Yet diversi
À
À
cation in mountain
À
a
reas can address these challenges by combining agriculture,
f
orestry, tourism and
s
mall and medium-sized enterprises
(
SMEs
)
in multi-sectoral economies. Recog-
nising the potential o
f
diversi
À
ed activities, stakeholders in some mountain areas
À
a
re already actively engaged in shaping rural development activities to overcome
marginalisation and enhance their attractiveness,
f
ostering a „rural renaissance”
t
hat is included in the Horizon 2020 Work Programme 2016
2
017. This contributes
t
o an increased quality o
f
li
f
e
f
or mountain people and should be emphasised in
fu
t
u
r
e
ca
ll
s.
Food security, sustainable
agriculture and forestry
22
23
Food security, sustainable
agriculture and forestry
Proposals for research activities
Red
e
À
ne the role of quality production in the bio-economy of mountain
À
a
rea
s
»
E
xplore preconditions and prerequisites and enhance opportunities
f
or the
production o
f
high-quality
f
ood, agricultural products and non-timber goods
(
e. g. mushrooms, medicinal plants
).
»
A
ssess local varieties and improve them to increase yields
f
or
f
ood security
.
»
A
ssess climate change impacts on agronomic practices and productivity in
m
ou
nt
a
in
a
r
eas.
Identi
f
y tree species and varieties that are adapted to
f
uture mountain
c
limate
s
»
S
tudy the impacts o
f
changing environmental and climatic conditions on the
ecosystem services delivered by mountain
f
orests and the species and varieties
best suited to provide these
.
Improve the use and promotion o
f
territorial labellin
g
to support
sustainable a
g
riculture and
f
orestry
»
E
valuate means
f
or increasing linkages within production chains, and with
t
ourism and external users, in order to improve the delivery o
f
high-quality
products, improve the renewable biological resource cycle, support regional
economies and ensure the provision o
f
ecosystem services in mountain areas
.
Develop and promote innovative technolo
g
ies (bio-based innovations)
»
E
xplore opportunities to implement resource-e
f
À
cient value chains that lead
À
t
o the development o
f
new products in mountain areas and are supported by
s
ocial innovation processes
.
Improve business mana
g
ement, marketin
g
and supply chain
s
»
A
ssess innovative approaches to enhance the competitiveness and resilience o
f
mountain agriculture,
f
orestry and the bio-economy
.
Capitalise on
g
eo
g
raphically-speci
À
c opportunities
À
»
I
denti
f
y ways to ensure the long-term provision o
f
public goods within multi-
f
unctional economies, secure environmental quality, sustain cultural heritage
a
nd improve the well-being o
f
mountain people.
24
25
Secure, clean and efÀ cient energy
Rationale
T
he production, storage and e
f
À
cient use of renewable energy is a European and
À
g
lobal imperative. Mountain areas in general have above-average potential
f
or
producing renewable electricity
f
rom water, sun, biomass and wind. In the past, de-
centralised hydropower production has been
f
undamental to socio-economic de-
v
elopment in many mountain valleys. New green energy in
f
rastructures, however,
d
o not automatically result in a
f
air and equal distribution o
f
economic or social
be
n
e
À
ts among rural populations. In particular, the intensifying problem of effec-
À
t
ively and
f
airly producing and distributing energy across Europe a
ff
ects moun-
t
ain communities disproportionately because o
f
the high costs o
f
constructing and
maintaining transmission networks, cold temperatures in winter, and the o
f
ten lower
i
ncomes o
f
mountain people
.
A
longside the mani
f
old opportunities, electricity production, storage and trans-
mission in mountainous regions entail ri
s
ks. Due to the harsh climate and steep
t
errain, a range o
f
natural hazards – including avalanches, landslides,
Á
oods and
Á
s
trong winds – jeopardise extensive energy in
f
rastructures. This reality is gaining
i
mportance as global warming leads to increasing numbers o
f
such events. In ad-
d
ition, renewable energy production can have adverse e
ff
ects on the environment
a
nd society,
f
or instance through
f
ragmentation and losses o
f
habitats and changes
i
n landscapes and water
Á
ows.
Á
T
here is a strong case
f
or strengthening mountain-oriented energy research in
Horizon 2020. Mountainous regions will play
a crucial role in achieving Europe’s
y
2
020 energy and climate targets in terms o
f
energy production and storage. En-
ergy-related research and innovation activities in mountain regions can strengthen
E
urope’s energy security, support electricity market integration, improve energy e
f
À
-
À
ciency and help to decarbonise the economy in line with the Energy Union strategy
.
I
n a mountain context, energy-related research and innovation must consider the
potential impacts o
f
renewable energy production, altered resource use and man-
a
gement practices on the environment and society. Activities supported by Horizon
2
020 should pay attention to challenges
t
hat are unique to mountainous areas,
s
uch as climate change impacts on resource availability, natural hazards, acces-
s
ibility and rural development. The anticipated increase in electricity production and
s
torage in mountain regions may also reactivate discussions o
f
models
f
or upland-
lowland compensation
.
26
27
Secure, clean and efÀ cient energy
Proposals for research activities
U
ndertake inte
g
rated assessment o
f
the availability and use o
f
natural
r
esources
f
or renewable ener
g
y production
»
A
ssess and model the present and
f
uture availability o
f
renewable energy
s
ources in mountain regions in view o
f
anticipated demands
f
or these resourc-
es, in order to develop integrated perspectives on resource use
f
or energy
production
f
or electricity, heat and
f
uel
.
»
E
xplore means to enhance energy security in mountain areas through resource
d
iversi
À
cation, risk prevention and mitigati
À
o
n strategies by strengthening en-
ergy resilience and supporting local „smart” grids
.
Evaluate the ecolo
g
ical and socio-economic impacts o
f
renewable
e
ner
g
y production, stora
g
e and transmission
»
A
ssess the impacts o
f
renewable energy production, storage and transport on
natural resources
(
e. g. on the water-energy nexus; biomass exploitation on
biodiversity
)
, land use and landscapes in mountain areas.
»
I
nvestigate the socio-economic e
ff
ects o
f
new or altered energy production,
s
torage and transmission technologies and related processes, and the impacts
of
changed energy market structures on mountain communities
.
Implement innovative and competitive strate
g
ies
f
or ener
g
y e
f
À
ciency
À
»
I
denti
f
y low-carbon technologies and practices
f
or mountain SMEs and com-
munities in order to generate and secure jobs, reverse the population decline
i
n mountain areas and accelerate energy system trans
f
ormation in mountain
a
nd other sparsely-populated areas.
»
E
valuate energy saving and e
f
À
ciency potentials in the residential and tourism
À
s
ectors, adapted to local conditions and the speci
À
c architecture of mountain
À
s
ettlements. The resulting best practices should include demand management,
f
unding schemes and participatory and in
f
ormative actions
.
Develop
g
reen ener
g
y model re
g
ion
s
»
I
nvestigate the potential
f
or energy cities and regions in mountain areas to be
models
f
or decentralised / autonomous energy regions in other parts o
f
Eu-
rope.
»
E
xamine and assess various possibilities
f
or energy storage
(
e. g., pumpe d
s
torage hydropower, charging electric vehicles
)
to increase the e
f
À
ciency and
À
a
vailability o
f
renewable energy systems, and to support the development o
f
mountain communities as sel
f
-regulating local energy hubs
.
»Optimize local energy systems and energy e
f
À
ciency interventions in mountain
À
communities to provide decision-makers and communities with more reliable,
o
bjective and supportive tools, and to enhance social acceptance o
f
renewable
energy sources.
28
29
Smart, green and integrated
transport
Rationale
M
ountain areas are crossed by some o
f
Europe’s key transport corridors and are
a
lso among the continent’s most importan
t
recreation areas
,
with over 150 million
t
ourists per year. However, motorised transport has negative impacts on mountain
regions, including air pollution, noise and excessive land take. The growing need
f
or coordinated European research on these interlinked themes can be addressed
t
hrough Horizon 2020
.
T
he 2011 Transport White Paper set a target
f
or a 60 percent cut in transport
emissions by 2050, and the convergence o
f
the energy and transport agendas was
recently underlined in the 2015 Energy Union strategy document. The transport
s
ector must there
f
ore make a substantial contribution to achieving greenhouse gas
emission and energy consumption targets. The necessary strong measures cannot
be limited to urban areas. Europe’s transition towards more sustainable processes
requires the active involvement o
f
mountain areas, which
f
ace particular challenges
i
n improving the sustainability o
f
their transport systems. Consequently, there is
s
cope
f
or Horizon 2020 to include call topics on sustainable mobility and transport
i
n mountain regions, linked particularly to the challenges o
f
climate change
.
One path
f
or research is alternative
f
uel deployment, particularly electro-mo-
bility. Other speci
À
c priorities are the development of sustainable local mobility
À
s
ystems, sustainable logistics systems and intelligent transport systems
(
smart in-
f
rastructure, multimodal ticketing, regional travel apps, etc.
)
. Achieving sustainable
mobility in mountain regions requires no
t
o
nly technological improvements but also
changes in transport demand and travel behaviour. Given the
f
ocus on integrating
s
ocial sciences and humanities research in Horizon 2020, this programme provides
a
unique possibility to
f
und transnational interdisciplinary research
.
A
n initial problem about understanding mobility patterns in mountain areas is
t
he lack o
f
data. In national surveys, accessing in
f
ormation on mountain visitors
a
nd residents requires complex analysis, and the small numbers o
f
people involved
of
ten make the results non-signi
À
cant. Targeted tourism mobility studies tend to
À
concentrate on international visitors who r
e
present a minority o
f
tourism trips. There
i
s there
f
ore a research gap regarding tourism within countries that have both moun-
t
ain resorts and sizeable cities outside or on the
f
ringe o
f
mountain areas: this situ-
a
tion concerns at least hal
f
o
f
Europe’s countries
.
T
he transport behaviour o
f
mountain inhabitants also remains largely unknown.
I
n many mountain areas across Europe, the supply o
f
public transportation is insu
f
-
À
cient for residents to use it regularly. Where public transport is available, there are
À
i
ndications that local residents use it less than visitors. This is a problem because
t
ourism alone is unlikely to guarantee the
À
nancial viability of these bus or train
À
lin
es
. In th
e
cu
rr
e
nt
À
nancial and political context, there is a risk of mountain bus
À
a
nd train services being cut in several coun
t
ries. This would lead to
f
urther isolation
of
vulnerable populations in these areas. It is there
f
ore necessary to assess which
criteria mountain residents use to decide whether to embrace or reject public trans-
port services.
Coordinated qualitative, quantitative an
d
spatial approaches are required to un-
d
erstand the complexity o
f
mobility in mountain regions, and establish practical
i
nterventions and best practice scenarios. Many case studies exist
f
or cities but it is
not known which, i
f
any, apply to mountain areas where remoteness and seasonal-
i
ty play an important role. The key challenge is to d
e
À
ne the most cost-effective and
À
equitable investments in sustainable mobility within mountain areas
.
30
3
1
Smart, green and integrated
transport
Proposals for research activities
Assess the parameters o
f
mobility in mountain area
s
»
E
valuate the parameters o
f
daily mobility
(
number, length, duration, purpose
a
nd mode o
f
trips
)
f
or residents and visitors
.
»
I
nvestigate leisure time mobility patterns interlinking urban areas and nearby
mountain regions
.
»
A
nalyse the driving
f
orces,
f
or both residents and visitors, o
f
transport mode
c
h
o
i
ces
in m
ou
nt
a
in
a
r
eas.
Deploy new mobility systems in mountain area
s
»
I
denti
f
y pathways
f
or introducing and mainstreaming alternative
f
uel systems
(
in particular electro-mobility
)
, sustainable local mobility systems, sustainable
logistics systems and intelligent transport systems
(
smart in
f
rastructure, multi-
modal ticketing, regional travel apps, etc.
).
Implement practical interventions to increase acceptance and use o
f
p
ublic transport and other sustainable modes
»
A
ssess how to e
ff
ectively combine behavioural changes and technological im-
provements in order to achieve a mode shi
f
t towards public transport, walking
a
nd cycling by both mountain inhabitants and visitors
.
Propose inte
g
rated transport solution
s
»
E
valuate how to improve links between long-haul transportation and local dis-
t
ribution services within and close to mountain areas
.
»
I
nvestigate how a single transport intervention, in
f
rastructure or service may be
u
sed by local people, by visitors and
f
or the transport o
f
goods
.
Quanti
f
y the environmental and public health ben
e
À
ts associated with
À
t
he transport behaviour o
f
mountain inhabitants and tourists, as well
a
s the transport o
f
g
oods.
»Use strategic impact assessment to identi
f
y and quanti
f
y the social, economic,
environmental and public health gains and trade-o
ff
s
(
e. g., with regard to
g
reenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, land use changes, noise, congestion,
a
ccidents
)
associated with each intervention
.
32
33
Climate action, environment,
resource efÀ ciency and raw
materials
Rationale
T
he protection, conservation and enhancement o
f
the natural capital o
f
Europe’s
mountains requires more coordinated research at the European level. For millennia,
mountains have supplied water, minerals, timber and non-timber
f
orest products to
both mountain and lowland populations. Rivers originating in mountains connect
t
hem to the lowlands, providing water
f
or agricultural, domestic and industrial use.
A
ll o
f
these services are threatened by climate change
.
E
urope’s mountains have a higher than average vulnerability to climate change.
T
hey are warming
f
aster, snowlines are rising, and the timing and amount o
f
dis-
charge are changing. Warming also increases the risk o
f
avalanches and melts
perma
f
rost, increasing
f
requencies o
f
rock
f
alls and debris
Á
ows. Forest
Á
À
res have
À
become more common and larger. The increased number o
f
extreme events, such
a
s intense rainstorms, has increased the incidence o
f
landslides. These changes
aff
ect mountain agriculture and livestock practices, not only directly a
ff
ecting the
livelihoods and economies o
f
mountain citizens, but also altering the availability
a
nd quantity o
f
resources used by lowland communities
.
M
ountain areas are key to Europe’s environmental sustainability. In the context
o
f
European policies
f
avouring a circular, resource-e
f
À
cient, green and competitive
À
low-carbon economy, mountains provide valuable resources such as water and
other sources o
f
renewable energy. However, their tourist resorts are at the other
end o
f
the Recycle-Reuse-Recover cycle, having to deal with waste materials. Thus,
i
n line with the EU Environment Action Programme
(
EAP
)
, it is essential to recognise
t
he interactions o
f
mountain and lowland regions so that the populations o
f
both
co
ntin
ue
t
o
be
n
e
À
t from the resources that mountains provide. For example, wine
À
a
griculture is increasing in mountain regions; this sector generates co-products and
by-products that require sustainable use. Straw has gained increasing attention as
biomass
f
eedstock, but potential trade-o
ff
s with its use
f
or soil improvement need to
be considered. In livestock production, manure and other by-products can be used
both as
f
ertiliser and as sources o
f
bio-energy or valuable bio-products. In these
a
nd other cases, impacts on air, soil and water require evaluation.
M
ountains are also iconic and important in relation to other objectives o
f
the EAP,
e. g., sustainable
f
orestry, halting biodiversity loss and natural protection against
Á
ooding.
Á
I
n mountain
f
orests, climate mitigation options such as biomass produc-
t
ion
f
or energy might lead to increased demands
f
or land and water. Increased
d
emands
f
or
f
ood and
f
eed will increase pressures on water resources and land,
a
nd may increase greenhouse gas emissions. Such pressures will be compounded
by the impacts o
f
climate change,
f
urther modi
f
ying the availability and suitability o
f
t
hese resources as well as a
ff
ecting agricultural and / or
f
orestry productivity
.
B
iodiversity provides us with various ecosystem services; its deterioration and
loss jeopardises their provision. Changes in wildli
f
e li
f
e cycles and range distribu-
t
ions will alter the composition and location o
f
ecosystems. Given that 20 percent
of
European plant species live in above treeline, and that 60 percent o
f
mountain
plant species may be extinct by 2100 due to climate change, a strong strategy to
limit impacts to mountain biodiversity is clearly needed
.
T
here is clear scope within Horizon 2020 to include topics relating to the roles o
f
mountains in addressing wider European and global challenges. Given the diverse
challenges
f
aced by Europe’s mountain regions and the linkage o
f
these challenges
t
o the well-being o
f
lowland populations,
À
nding solutions is imperative. For in-
À
s
tance, the EU Strategy
f
or the Alpine Region
(
EUSALP
)
calls
f
or solutions that pro-
mote sustainable management o
f
natural resources and ecosystems and ensure the
s
ustainable supply and use o
f
raw materials. A greater
f
ocus in Horizon 2020 on
s
uch issues would constitute a unique possibility to make vital contributions across
t
he mountain ranges o
f
Europe and the world
.
34
35
Climate action, environment,
resource efÀ ciency and raw
materials
Proposals for research activities
Monitor mountain ecosystem
s
»
E
stablish robust
,
versatile indicators to monitor the status and trends o
f
moun-
t
ain ecosystems at all levels
(
physical, chemical, biological and anthropic
)
.
S
uch a holistic approach should include assessment o
f
changes in glaciers and
a
ssociated hydrological and ecological e
ff
ects, emphasising the roles o
f
the
s
easonal snowpack
f
or economies, people, water resources, and plant and
a
nimal species.
Decrease the physical vulnerability o
f
mountain communities to natural
a
nd man-made hazard
s
»
D
evelop and test user-
f
riendly, trans
f
erable methods to assess physical vulner-
a
bility to hazards, d
e
À
ne relevant indicators, and implement new technologies
À
a
nd products such as dynamic vulnerability maps.
S
a
f
e
g
uard the
f
uture o
f
mountain biodiversit
y
»
A
ssess changes in the elevational distribution o
f
species, interactions among
s
urviving and new species
(
including invasive species
)
, and shrinking habitats
i
n
o
r
de
r t
o
de
À
ne adaptive strategies to preserve biodiversity and maintain
À
ecosystem services
.
Establish holistic strate
g
ies
f
or the lon
g
-term resilience o
f
mountain
social-ecolo
g
ical systems (SES)
»
E
valuate the ability o
f
mountain SES to adapt to climate variability and examine
response strategies. Such research is based on the reality that, though moun-
t
ain communities are linked to surrounding lowland regions, they have com-
mon and unique behaviours and can be considered standalone SES.
»Quanti
f
y the impact on mountain SES o
f
ecological and economic processes,
f
uture needs
f
or minerals and biomass, and resource policy and environmental
management
.
36
37
Europe in a changing world
Rationale
S
teepness, elevation, harsh climates and limited space
f
or permanent settlement
characterise Europe’s mountains. Over the centuries, their inhabitants have
f
ound
many innovative ways to adapt to these physical characteristics. However, they also
make mountain people and their economies vulnerable to the socio-economic cri-
s
es and natural hazards that are becoming more
f
requent as a result o
f
globali-
s
ation and climate change. Economic crises,
f
or example, have had
f
ar-reaching
i
mpacts on the ability o
f
the European economy to create growth, innovation and
j
obs in mountain regions – and thus on their potential to contribute to the delivery
of
th
e
À
rst priority, „A new boost for jobs, growth and investment”, de
À
À
ned by the
À
J
uncker Commission when they reviewed the Europe 2020 objectives
.
T
he impacts o
f
the recent economic crisis have highlighted the need to enhance
a
ccess to education and training in mountain areas in order to
f
oster equality and
create sustainable employment. As many mountain residents live
f
ar
f
rom major
education centres
,
it is essential to
À
nd ways to ensure that mountain people have
À
a
ccess to educational and training opportunities that do not require them to leave
t
he mountains. In this context, in
f
ormation and communication technology
(
ICT
)
plat
f
orms are essential not only
f
or modernising education and training to eliminate
t
he risk o
f
digital exclusion, but also to
f
acilitate networking and capacity building
.
E
urope’s mountains include towns that have been key locations
f
or trade and in-
d
ustry. Today, most o
f
these urban centres depend on conurbations around moun-
t
ain areas where large national and transnational enterprises are located. There
i
s a lack o
f
business models and ICT in
f
rastructure
f
or SMEs tailored to mountain
circumstances; these are needed to improve the competitiveness o
f
mountain towns
a
nd smaller settlements and reduce their dependency on lowland conurbations
.
S
mall-scale cultural diversity characterises mountain areas and is apparent
t
hrough the presence o
f
diverse languages, customs and land use strategies. Moun-
t
ain populations o
f
ten include an increasing proportion o
f
in-migrants
(
new high-
landers
)
f
rom the lowlands, who provide new ideas while bringing socio-economic
potential and new cultural inputs. To develop sustainable socio-ecological systems
within mountain regions, new solutions including participatory governance and
multi-stakeholder involvement are essential
.
38
39
Europe in a changing world
Proposals for research activities
W
iden access to di
g
ita
l
learnin
g
ecosystem
s
»
E
valuate and develop digital learning ecosystems and knowledge trans
f
er / ex-
change strategies to support new models
f
or li
f
elong learning, specialisation
a
nd multi-disciplinary networks
.
»
I
nvestigate new approaches such as distance learning, gami
À
cation and edu-
À
t
ainment, as well as personal interactions, to simultaneously empower the cul-
t
ural heritage o
f
mountain people and their potential
f
or innovation
.
Facilitate the education o
f
mountain people
»
E
xplore the use o
f
innovative educational models to enhance primary, sec-
o
ndary and tertiary education, including vocational education, in mountain
a
reas to achieve education equality an
d
high-employment economies able to
s
upport social and territorial cohesion, in line with the Erasmus+ programme
.
»
E
valuate means to integrate the traditional knowledge o
f
older generations
with the in
f
ormation-economy orientation o
f
younger people
.
»
I
nvestigate strategies, such as the use o
f
new ICT tools, to avoid the digital
e
x
c
l
us
i
o
n
of
m
ou
nt
a
in
a
r
eas.
Enable communication amon
g
mountain communities and between
u
pland and lowland communitie
s
»
E
xamine ICT-based and other means to
f
acilitate cross-border and upland-
lowland communication to enhance social cohesion, preserve cultural herit-
a
ge, balance territorial inequalities and counterbalance remoteness
.
»
A
ssess mechanisms to promote participatory governance and multi-stakehold-
er involvement within mountain comm
u
nities in order to develop economies
based on knowledge and innovation
.
Encoura
g
e social impact and social innovation in mountain area
s
»
E
xplore e
ff
ective methodologies o
f
social impact assessment to better un-
d
erstand the role local communities can play in reversing negative trends in
m
ou
nt
a
in
a
r
eas.
»
E
valuate social plat
f
orms
f
or sustainable models and value generation in order
t
o encourage the proactive role o
f
communities in natural and cultural herit-
a
ge management, promote territorial and social cohesion
f
or more „inclusive
g
rowth”, and strengthen community resilience through strategic development
.
Help mountain societies to resolve economic crise
s
»
I
denti
f
y and test tools
f
or social inclusion, new modes o
f
governance, includ-
i
ng roles
f
or local administrations, opportunities
f
or young people and SMEs
t
hrough the implementation o
f
innovative business models, and pathways to
ensure gender equality at all levels o
f
society.
40
4
1
Europe‘s mountain regions
S
ocial inclusion o
f
new hi
g
hlanders in mountain area
s
»
E
laborate operational concepts
f
or the social inclusion o
f
new highlanders in
partnership with local communities in or
d
er to optimise their contributions to,
a
nd investments in, the sustainable development o
f
mountain regions
.
„Mountain sensin
g
“ and crowdsourcin
g
»
I
mplement multi-disciplinary research, methods o
f
evaluation and techniques
t
o draw a „mountain sensing” map
(
what communities think, need, wish
)
t
hrough visualising social in
f
ormation
(
e. g., social network conversations, pub-
lic communication, big data, data-based networking
)
in order to collect and
a
nalyse opinions and integrate data to
f
o
s
t
e
r r
es
ili
e
nt m
ou
nt
a
in
co
mm
u
niti
es.
Alps (55)
Carpathian (17)
Apennines (11)
French /Swiss middle mount nsai (7)
Central Europ middle mountean ains I (4)
Central Europ middle mountean ains II (3)
Pyrenees (12)
Iberian mountains (20)
Western Mediterranean islands (8)
Eastern Mediterranean islands (5)
Balkan / Southeast Europe (8)
British slesI (17)
Nordic mountains (21)
10°E 20°E 30°E 40° E 50°E10°W20°W30°W
10°E0° 20°E
0 50 km0
60°
50°
40°
60°
50°
40°
This delineation o
f
Europe’s mountains
was published in:
European Environment
A
gency (2010) Europe’s
ecological backbone:
recognising the true
v
alue o
f
our mountains.
European Environment
Agency, Copenhagen.
The perimeter o
f
the
Alps is that used by the
Alpine Convention. The
b
oundaries o
f
the other
regions were d
e
À
ned for
À
the purposes o
f
analy
-
s
es within this report
.
Th
e
n
u
m
be
r
s
in
b
ra
c
k
e
t
s
r
efe
r t
o
th
e
numbers o
f
projects in
each mountain region,
a
s ident
i
À
ed during
À
the FP7 Support Action
M
ountain Sustain
-
a
bility: Trans
f
orming
Rese
ar
c
h int
o
Pra
c-
tice’
(
mountain.TRIP
)
(
2009
2011
).
“The health o
f
the mountains is the wealth o
f
the plains.”
(Indian proverb)
... Las montañas cubren el 36% de Europa y albergan al 16% de la población europea (Drexler et al., 2016), atraviesan muchas fronteras nacionales y ofrecen una gran diversidad de ecosistemas y usos del suelo (Schröter et al., 2005). Los usos del suelo y el manejo de los recursos naturales son el resultado de las complejas interacciones entre los ecosistemas existentes y las prácticas realizadas por los actores locales, incluidas las diversas formas de producción agraria. ...
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Το περιεχόμενο του βιβλίου αντανακλά την προσπάθεια οικοδόμησης ενός συλλογικού προβληματισμού σχετικού με τις ιδιαιτερότητες του μεσογειακού ορεινού χώρου. Η προσπάθεια αυτή εκφράστηκε μέσω ενός διεθνούς συνεδρίου το οποίο οργανώθηκε το 2020 στην Κύπρο και αποτέλεσε το μέσο ένταξης του θέματος των ορεινών περιοχών των μεγάλων μεσογειακών νησιών σε μια ευρύτερη θεσμική, μεθοδολογική-αναλυτική και στρατηγική συζήτηση. Για το σκοπό αυτό, ήταν σημαντικό να καθοριστούν τα θέματα του βουνού σε διαφορετικά επίπεδα, εξ ου και ο πολυεπίπεδος υπότιτλος του συνεδρίου: «Ευρωπαϊκά θέματα, εθνικές και περιφερειακές πολιτικές και τοπικοί μηχανισμοί». Οι 26 εισηγήσεις που ακολουθούν έχουν ταξινομηθεί για μια συνθετική ανάγνωση που παρουσιάζει, με έναν συνοπτικό τρόπο, μια προοπτική εργασίας, μια εμπειρία. Παρά την προφανή διασπορά των προσεγγίσεων και των επιστημονικών κλάδων που ενεργοποιήθηκαν, υπάρχει ένα είδος «πλατφόρμας σύγκλισης» μεταξύ των συμμετεχόντων. Αυτή η σύγκλιση συμφωνήθηκε ως προς το ενδιαφέρον ενός μεσογειακού γεωγραφικού πεδίου (ορεινό, νησιωτικό χωρίς απαραίτητα να περιορίζεται στα "μεγάλα νησιά"), ενός μεθοδολογικού εργαλείου που εστιάζει περισσότερο σε μια «συζήτηση για τη μέθοδο» παρά σε μια μεθοδολογία με τη μορφή ενός «μοντέλου» (ανάπτυξης ή εφαρμογής). Πολλά σημεία σύγκλισης περιέχονται ευρέως σε αυτήν τη συλλογική προσπάθεια : α) η ανάγκη για μια εδαφική και τοπική προσέγγιση, αλλά με μια πολυεπίπεδη σύλληψη στρατηγικών και αντιλήψεων, β) ο συνδυασμός πολλαπλών διακυβευμάτων και η πολυπλοκότητα της αντιμετώπισης αυτού του συνόλου πλεγμάτων, γ) η προσέγγιση ορισμένων εργαλείων (πχ γεωγραφικές ενδείξεις ή σήματα ποιότητας) ως "οριακά αντικείμενα" δ) μια θέση - στην έρευνα ή στη διαμεσολάβηση στο επίκεντρο της οποίας τίθεται η γνώση. Ο στόχος αυτής της συλλογικής προσπάθειας δεν είναι να προσδιοριστούν τελικά, "καλές πρακτικές" ή επεκτάσιμες ή εξαγόμενες λύσεις, αλλά περισσότερο η δικτύωση των εμπειριών.
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