The Alps: Territory of innovation

When talking about strategies to mitigate the impact on climate change, it is essential to evoke energy consumption and the exploitation of the potential for renewable energy. Considering their natural resources and their potential, the Alps could lead the way in using principally renewables to cover their energy needs. This round table aims at analyzing, based on examples of good practices, current trends in the development of renewable energies and their impact on rural development in the Alps.
Tourism plays a major role in rural development in the Alps. As an economic activity, it has an impact on many sectors (energy, transport, agriculture ...). It now requires structural changes in terms of diversification and of environmental ‘exemplarity’. In this context, innovation plays a major role in the sustainable development of mountain tourism.
Human activities are at the heart of rural development and innovation. They are their driving force, but also their target. Sustainable rural development is generally recognized as the "product of human activities, using the resources of rural areas, which aims to increase the overall well-being." It is the key tool in encouraging innovation and diversification in rural areas in an effort to reverse population decline, stimulate employment and equality of opportunity, and meet the increasing demands for a better quality of life.