In one out of eight ski areas, the natural snow cover could disappear completely this century. This is the result of a study by the University of Bayreuth, as the institution announced on Thursday. The seven largest mountain regions in the world were analyzed.
According to reports, 13 percent of the ski areas there will completely lose their natural snow cover by the end of the century if a high carbon emissions scenario is assumed. By the end of the century, twenty percent would no longer have even half as many days with a closed snow cover.
According to the statement, the effects of climate change will affect the mountains to varying degrees. By 2100, the average annual snow cover days will decline the most in the Australian Alps (78 percent) and the New Zealand Alps (51 percent). In the Japanese Alps by 50 percent, the Andes by 43 percent, the Alps of Europe by 42 percent and the Appalachians in the USA and Canada by 37 percent. In the North American Rocky Mountains, the decline will be smallest compared to historical baseline values (23 percent).
As for the consequences, it was said that the decreasing snow cover would drive ski tourism primarily to higher altitudes and thus to less populated areas. “But that would pose a threat to alpine plants and animals that are already under climate-related stress.” Since the skiable areas in the future will be further away from heavily populated areas, an expansion of the infrastructure and increasing interventions such as artificial snow production and slope preparation are likely to extend the snow duration. Nevertheless, the economic profitability of many ski areas worldwide will decline.