In a period of rising concern for sustainable land management systems to achieve food security at a global scale, land-use changes demand increased attention. This study assesses the past observations and future risk calculations for land abandonment across European regions, highlighting the particular risk for mountain areas. It draws from a study commissioned by the European Parliament to investigate the situation and probability for high and very high risk of land abandonment until 2030. Revealing that land abandonment is at three times higher risk in mountain areas than in non-mountain areas, the need for action to cope with this pressure is the core result. We reveal that the high disparity in agricultural competitiveness between regions (at fine geographical scale) is the main driving force leading to the spatially uneven performance of land management. Viewing this wide set of drivers and mitigation options, land abandonment is understood as the outcome of a multitude of factors of socio-ecological systems and a combination of farm-specific, internal regional and trans-regional factors. The present dominance of narratives of effectiveness leaves little scope for mountain regions under threat of abandonment and marginalization. In this situation, policy reform would address the issue but this might turn out to be influential only if the complex nature and trade-off of the comprehensive policy framework are prioritized.

Housing is commonly discussed as an important dimension of the social inclusion and integration of immigrants, but also as a prerequisite for staying. While challenges in urban contexts mostly affect shortages, the picture is more diverse in rural and mountain areas, including abandoned housing and vacancies, the scarce availability of rental apartments, and overpriced accommodation in light of the preference for profitable second homes or high tourism intensity. This chapter discusses the situation in three Alpine regions in Austria and Germany with diverse housing market structures. The results suggest that although housing policies differ considerably between regions, key actors must consider the changing needs of labour migrants and refugees for appropriate housing. Especially in a rural environment, aspirations to keep an apartment and improve one’s living conditions must be supported by NGOs or private actors.

Thesis 4 - 1 - International migration to rural and mountain areas is an important but neglected phenomenon

Thesis 1 - 1 - Reframing remote places and remoteness as a collective resource and value for Europe