The Cabinet, in its meeting today, adopted the Draft Act for Ratification of the Protocols on the Alpine Convention submitted by Federal Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin and forwarded it to the Bundesrat. "This makes the Federal Republic of Germany one of the first parties to the Convention that have initiated the parliamentary process for ratification of the nine Protocols on the Alpine Convention. In the International Year of the Mountain, I am particularly pleased that the we are making an important contribution to sustainable development in what is the most important mountain region of Europe", Federal Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin said.
The nine Protocols to be ratified, covering the areas of land use planning and sustainable development, protection of nature and landscape, mountain agriculture, mountain forests, tourism and leisure activities, energy, soil protection, transport and settlement of disputes, serve the specific purpose of implementing the Alpine Convention, which was adopted in 1991 and entered into force in 1995. It is to date the only convention for the protection of a mountain region worldwide that is binding under international law. It enables the Alpine countries Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, Liechtenstein, Monaco and Slovenia to define and implement an agreed mountain area policy in line with the needs of sustainable development. The aim is to protect the common heritage of the Alps and preserve it for future generations through transnational cooperation between the Alpine countries, the regions and the local authorities and with the involvement of the scientific community, the private sector and environmental and other groups.
Ratification of the Protocols on the Alpine Convention is an essential contribution of Germany to the International Year of the Mountain 2002 proclaimed by the United Nations as well as to the preparation of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. Federal Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin called on all Alpine countries to make their best efforts to conclude the ratification process and allow the Protocols to enter into force this year. Trittin: "After the at times difficult and lengthy negotiations on the Protocols, the focus should now be shifted to the joint implementation of the Convention. If we successfully put the Convention into practice, we will be able to set an example for other mountain areas in need of protection."