In 2016, the Alpine Initiative handed over its archive (with annual reports and accounts, correspondence, files on actions and campaigns, topic dossiers and printed matter) to the Swiss Social Archives. The holdings can be consulted in the reading room of the Swiss Social Archive without any restrictions on use.
Schweizerisches Sozialarchiv
At a media conference, the Alpine Initiative presents a study that deals with the climate impact of transalpine heavy goods traffic in Switzerland. It concludes that in order to reach its climate goals, Switzerland must on no account compromise its transfer goal, but instead needs to become more restrictive.
For the fifth time the Alpine Initiative awards the “Red Devil’s Stone” for absurd transport. This time to the Coca-Cola company. Its beverage cans are filled in Italy and trucked to Switzerland via the Gotthard road tunnel. Meanwhile, Coca-Cola is producing the same drinks in Switzerland and highlighting its commitment to sustainability. Such absurd transport has a negative impact on humans and the environment, as well as the road infrastructure.
Together with the “No to a second bore at the Gotthard” association, the Alpine Initiative organises a protest at the mythical Devil’s Stone in Göschenen UR. Exactly 35 years after the opening of the Gotthard road tunnel we say: Another pact with the devil – i.e. a second tunnel – no way!
Around 150 people responded to the Alpine Initiative’s appeal and participated in the traditional, annual bonfire for the protection of the Alps. This commitment once again shows that the protection of the sensitive Alpine area concerns people, especially so at the Gotthard, and that there is huge resistance to the planned second bore for the Gotthard road tunnel.
Various Alpine crossings are to be developed into transit routes. The Alpine Initiative opposes this. It adopted a corresponding resolution at its AGM in Bellinzona (Ticino). The same resolution was signed by the organisation Initiative Transport Europe (ITE) in Cuneo (Italy).
The “No to the second Gotthard bore” association sent an invoice for 125,573 Swiss francs to the Swiss Transport Minister, Doris Leuthard. In theory, we should not have needed to collect any signatures against a second bore, because a second bore creates new capacity on a transalpine route. Such an increase in capacity is banned by the Swiss constitution, which means that a second bore would necessitate a change to the constitution. Such a change, in turn, would have to be approved by the people. However, the Swiss government is using the proposed change in law to avoid a vote on the constitution.
At its annual media conference, the Alpine Initiative presented a study by the University of Fribourg’s Institute for European Law. It confirms that current road traffic volumes due to transalpine freight clearly violate both the constitutional and the legal mandate to transfer traffic from road to rail.
After nearly 20 years as Secretary and Transport Policy Director of the Alpine Initiative, Alf Arnold retired at the end of 2014. The Board elected Lucia Lauener-Zwyer as the new Secretary and Manuel Hermann as the new Alpine Protection Policy Director. This internal solution involving proven staff guarantees continuity in the Alpine Initiative’s political work and the reliable management of the Association, explained President Jon Pult.
The “No to the second Gotthard bore” association, in which the Alpine Initiative plays a central role, submitted 152,573 signatures in Bern, 75,731 of which were authenticated. “Marmots”, “ibexes” and “chamois” as well as many directly concerned inhabitants from the cantons of Ticino and Uri provided an evocative musical background.The “No to the second Gotthard bore” association, in which the Alpine Initiative plays a central role, submitted 152,573 signatures in Bern, 75,731 of which were authenticated. “Marmots”, “ibexes” and “chamois” as well as many directly concerned inhabitants from the cantons of Ticino and Uri provided an evocative musical background.
After both chambers of the Swiss Parliament voted in favour of a second bore for the Gotthard tunnel (the Council of States in March and the National Council at the end of September), the Alpine Initiative, together with 50 other organisations, founded the “No to the second Gotthard bore” association and launched a referendum against Parliament’s decision.