The Alpine Convention in the Context of Climate Change.

A Spatial Planning Legal Analysis Using the Jungfrau Region as a Case Study

The dissertation project examines the legal implementation of the Alpine Convention in Switzerland, with particular focus on spatial planning approaches to preventing climate change in the Alpine region. 

Climate Change has a particularly strong impact on the Alpine region. Due to the significantly higher temperature increase compared to the global average, the effects are disproportionately pronounced in high alpine areas. 

Against this background, the Alpine Climate Target System 2050 was developed in 2019 by the Alpine Climate Board – a body composed of representatives of the Alpine states and observers of the Alpine Convention. It contains both soft and measurable targets for the protection of the Alpine region, as well as concrete recommendations for their implementation through the Climate Action Plan 2.0. 

The aim of the dissertation is to provide an in-depth legal analysis of the feasibility of implementing the measures recommended in Climate Action Plan 2.0. The focus lies on the spatial planning dimension, examined using the Jungfrau Region as a case study.