Ski resorts are at great risk
The research, which is the first to examine how ski resorts in Europe, including Turkey, will be affected by different levels of warming and for how long a reliable supply of snow can be maintained, was published in the journal Nature Climate Change.
2 THOUSAND 234 REVISED CENTERS
The study, which examines 2,234 ski resorts across Europe, including Turkey, shows the high risks these ski resorts will face if the global temperature rise this century reaches 3 degrees Celsius compared to the pre-industrial period, within the framework of the current emissions reduction. policies.
Half of the world’s ski resorts are located in Europe, and it is predicted that if the rise in temperatures increases as projected, 91 percent of European ski resorts will be at risk of receiving very little snow, and may worse conditions occur than previously occurred every five years. at least once every two years.
EVERYONE IN Türkiye IS AT RISK
Under these conditions, it is estimated that all ski resorts in Turkey will be at high risk.
Even with extensive efforts to make snow, around half of Europe’s ski resorts are expected to face these conditions if emissions and temperature rise reach that level.
Without artificial snow production and in the case of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions only to the extent indicated by current policies (temperature increase of up to 3 degrees), 100 percent of ski resorts in Turkey, 87 percent of ski resorts in the Swiss Alps, and facilities in the Scandinavian mountains 70 percent, 93 percent of ski resorts in the French Alps, 94 percent of ski resorts in the Austrian Alps, all ski resorts in the German and Italian Alps and 91 percent of ski resorts in the Carpathians, Snow supply will be at very high risk.
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On the other hand, if faster emission reductions are achieved and the temperature increase is limited to 1.5 degrees, 32 percent of ski resorts in Europe and 19 percent of facilities in Turkey are likely to face high risks.
If the temperature increase is limited to 1.5 degrees, 5 percent of ski resorts in the Swiss Alps, 48 percent of ski resorts in the Scandinavian mountains, 4 percent of ski resorts in the French Alps, 7 percent of ski resorts in the Austrian Alps It is projected that 20 percent of ski resorts in the German Alps, 69 percent of resorts in the Italian Alps, and 33 percent of the Carpathian resorts will be at risk of having a reliable supply of snow.
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The researchers note that artificial snow formation can keep some facilities open, but this can increase demand for water and electricity, leading to higher carbon emissions.
Samuel Morin, a researcher at France-based Méteo-France and the French National Center for Scientific Research, said climate change will deteriorate snow conditions in ski resorts across Europe’s mountainous regions compared to the last decades, but the results will be different from each other. and within mountainous regions.
Morin pointed out that this does not mean the immediate end of ski tourism in Europe, but that conditions are becoming increasingly difficult for all ski resorts: “Some resorts will reach a critically low snow supply within a few decades to operate. as we know it. now. A more rapid reduction in emissions will limit the risk of snow supply for ski tourism and snowmaking demand and related externalities. ” he said.
Hugues François, a scientist at the France-based National Institute for Research on Agriculture, Food and the Environment and lead author of the study, noted that ski tourism provides a source of livelihood for people living in mountainous regions.
François pointed out that it is necessary to develop development paths to drastically reduce emissions and added that it remains an open question to what extent ski tourism will play an important role in these regions in the long term. (AA)