Connecting protected areas and beyond to safeguard mountainous ecosystem services and adapt to climate change

The temperature increase in the Alps is nearly 2x as high as in surrounding areas and climate change effects are already visible, f.ex. on biodiversity. Protected areas (PA) are key players in CC actions. While the entirety of the EU depends on the ESS being provided by mountainous regions, mountain ecosystems show a specific exposition against the global main challenges like climate change. The session will tackle the role of ecological connectivity for meeting these challenges and spotlight multibeneficial solutions like connecting PA and their surroundings and promoting naturebased solutions. It will discuss principles that support biodiversity conservation and sustainable land use practices. Success but also failure stories will be pitched. Participants will have the possibility to share viewpoints, build connection among each other and inspire the future work of the EUSALP AG7 and PA networks e.g. in terms of strategic transfer of results among mountainous areas in EU and beyond.