Climate change is a fact, and it affects our livelihoods and available resources already now and even more in the years coming. Climate impacts are even more severe in Alpine regions leading to rapid changes in environmental conditions (IPCC 2021, 41f; IPCC 2014, 4; Spehn & Körner 2017, 407; Jacob et al 2014, 567). Especially the changing water regimes have wide ranging impacts: e.g., increasing heavy rainfall events and droughts impact besides Alpine core area themselves also the surrounding fertile foothills and flatlands of the Alpine fringe (IPCC 2021, 150; Bender et al 2020, 1; ClimChAlp 2008).

At the same time land use pressure is increasing in Alpine regions. Especially climate mitigation efforts manifest through additional hydropower projects, new wind turbines and large-scale PV systems are having a significant share (Codemo et al 2023; Gaugl et al 2021). Hence, Alpine regions experience a phase of rapid change on many levels and open spaces are more and more becoming a scarce resource (Job et al 2020).

The proposed session should reflect on this ongoing transformation in Alpine regions with a special focus on the European Alps and their forelands. As a common framework we propose to take up the nexus concept. The established Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem Nexus (WEFE Nexus) highlights the interdependence of the single components and identifies mutually beneficial responses that are based on understanding the synergies of water, energy, agricultural and land use policies but also measurable and observable change (Pérez 2023).

To narrow the discussion water in Alpine areas should be the starting point of scientific contributions in the proposed session. Energy transition, food production and security as well as rapid changes in Alpine ecosystem are all related to water. Change or precipitation patterns, increasing occurrence of droughts, limited periods with snow cover, shrinking glacier areas, etc. all have wide ranging impacts according to existing dependencies.

REFERENCES:

Bender, E., Lehning, M., & Fiddes, J. (2020): Changes in climatology, snow cover, and ground temperatures at high alpine locations. Frontiers in Earth Science, 8, 100. DOI: 10.3389/feart.2020.00100.

ClimChAlp Partnership (2008): Klimawandel, Auswirkungen und Anpassungsstrategien im Alpenraum. Strategisches

Codemo A, Ghislanzoni M, Prados M-J, Albatici R. 2023. Landscape-based spatial energy planning: minimization of renewables footprint in the energy transition, Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, DOI:10.1080/09640568.2023.2287978.

Gaugl R, Klatzer T, Bachhiesl U, Wogrin S, Jodl S. (2021): GIS-based optimization – achieving Austria’s 2030 wind energy target. Elektrotechnik Und Informationstechnik, 138(8), 590–596. DOI: 10.1007/s00502-021-00932-y.

IPCC (2014): Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Contribution of Working Groups I, II and III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Core Writing Team, R.K. Pachauri and L.A. Meyer (eds.)]. IPCC, Geneva, Switzerland.

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Job H, Willi G, Mayer M, Pütz M. (2020): Open Spaces in Alpine Countries: Analytical Concepts and Preservation Strategies in Spatial Planning. Mountain Research and Development 40(3), D1-11. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27003475.

Pérez, L. M. (2023): Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystem (WEFE) Nexus: A key concept for a more resilient adaptation to the climate crisis. Natural Resources Conservation and Research, 6(1), 2324. DOI: 10.24294/nrcr.v6i1.2324

Spehn E., Körner C. (2017): Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf die Natur in den Alpen. Natur und Landschaft: 92(9), 407- 411. DOI: 10.17433/9.2017.50153499.407-411.