By the end of the century, the Australian Alps expected to see a 78% decrease in snow cover due to climate change. The rate of loss that’s far quicker than that of the six other main skiing locations. According to research from the University of Bayreuth in Germany, in a future with high emissions, 13% of ski regions globally would lose all of their natural snow cover.
The European Alps, Andes, Appalachian Mountains, Australian Alps, Japanese Alps, Southern Alps, and Rocky Mountains were the seven main mountainous skiing regions that were the subject of the study. Every year, there will be fewer snow cover days in the seven main mountain regions in the globe that offer downhill skiing under each of the three climate change scenarios. The southern hemisphere’s ski regions would most negatively impacted by climate change under a scenario with high emissions.
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Out of all the main skiing locations evaluated, Australia has by far the largest rate of decrease (78%). Global warming expected to have an even greater impact on ski slopes that are close to densely inhabited areas. Also, the reduction in snow cover might harm the financial viability of ski resorts worldwide. Meanwhile according to the report, in the event of severe climate change, technological and managerial solutions such as artificial snowmaking will not be enough compensatory measures. To counteract the consequences of climate change, snow resorts may need to relocate or grow into less inhabited mountain regions at higher elevations.
