Europe’s leading ski resorts face an “existential crisis” over the coming decades, as climate change threatens to permanently remove the snow covering their popular slopes.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says global warming has caused the “zero level” at which snow settles to rise by about 250 meters in the past 50 years.
By 2026, the Swiss CH2018 climate change scenarios expect the level to rise by between 400-650 meters by 2060.
This could jeopardize the current face of the ski slopes at Europe’s most popular resorts. The possibility of snow falling above an altitude of only 1,500 meters would wipe out parts of the Swiss resort of Verbier and the French resort of Courchevel, the “Three Valleys”.
Global warming is causing Alpine glaciers to melt at a record pace, threatening the region’s precious ecosystems and wildlife. What could follow is economic disaster if ski towns lose their main appeal.
To combat falling snow levels, resorts are already turning to artificial snow machines, further contributing to climate change through their expanded energy use.
WMO has launched a new partnership with the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) to raise awareness of the existential threat to tourism and snow sports.
The Islamic Salvation Front is based in the French ski resort of Chamonix, which will also see some of its slopes at risk due to rising snow.
“It is clear that the climate crisis is much bigger than the FIS – or sport: it is a real crossroads for humanity,” said Johan Eliasz, president of the FIS.
“But it is true that climate change simply represents an existential threat to skiing and snowboarding. We would be remiss if we did not make every possible effort rooted in science and objective analysis. That is what we are trying to pursue and is at the heart of this promising partnership with the World Meteorological Organization.”
Snowfall has become increasingly erratic on ski slopes in Europe over the past decades, especially those at lower altitudes.
These areas were popular choices for wealthy travelers in the past, thanks to cold winters for skiing and hot summers for hiking. But harsh weather and low snowfall leave them in a lurch.
Many resorts have had to shorten the length of their ski seasons as consistent snow coverage starts later than usual and diminishes earlier than in the past.
Last year, Knight Frank reported that a growing number of wealthy buyers were snapping up properties in the Alps, partly due to increasingly high temperatures near the equator.
However, three of the five buyers surveyed by Knight Frank said they were concerned about the effects of climate change on their resorts.