As a child I watched them cut down trees in the Alps
First by the hundreds, then by thousands
New and better ski slopes were needed
Lifts and hotels were built to attract tourists
Five years later we were snowed in for weeks
An avalanche had come down overnight
Without the forest stopping the breaking
The snow was merciless and buried everything
Now, forty years later they tear the lifts down
The hotels are empty, and tourists stay away
We have managed to heat up this planet
The snow has left the region
Will humans ever learn?
…
…
If the climate gets 1.5 degrees higher, France, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria will lose 70% of their winter sport regions due to missing snow. In many of these areas, tourism is the only source of income.
A recent Europe-wide assessment has identified increasing losses in winter tourism due to reduced snow cover and the increased exposure of settlements and infrastructure to natural hazards as the primary vulnerabilities to climate change in the Alps
When I was kid, the snow was so high, that we had snow walls on both sides of the road. Back then the windows of the ground floor of our farm had to be shoveled free every other day. The fields were resting under a blanket of snow.
Now an older lady, I look from afar at the region where I was born and raised.
Climate change will have immense consequences for European ski tourism.
Without exception, all ski resorts in the Alps would run out of snow at a three-degree warming. And even snow cannons are no longer the answer because you can only make artificial snow until just above freezing, and then it’s over. In addition, the making of snow takes an enormous use of water, which is collected separately and will then be missing elsewhere.
Without snow, it will rain more which can have devastating consequences, especially in mountainous regions. In addition, agriculture could have problems in some regions, for example, if there is no meltwater in spring to fill up the lakes and rivers.
…
Devestating conequenses!
Is it too late!
I remember so much snow as a kid… now, not so much. When will the people in charge open their eyes to it?
They have their eyes on their wallet, that’s why they can’t see.
A familiar story that I heard in Europe and now in Australia in the very small snowfields we have. The Netherlands used to have iced over canals and then it just rained… Same in Denmark now, just rain and no snow. Low altitude snow is disappearing. Australian snowfields are doomed, as they rely on snow cannons but the temperatures haven’t helped this year or the last. If European snowfields are disappearing then skiing might become obselete in many areas. Tragic consequence of climate warming.
I never thought about Australia having snow, but yes, of course, you have. Sad to see so many consequences of the changing climate.
Australia is not renowned for snow but I do know Europeans who travel here to teach skiing as a way to have a perpetual winter. Now that would be lovely for me.
Where’s the “sad” button when you need it? Our planet is in peril. Is it too late to save it?
We do need a ‘sad’ botton.
20 years ago, we had to cancel Halloween due to the ice and breaking trees (which still had leaves when the rain turned to ice turned to snow.) Peru State College, the Campus of 1000 oaks had someone graffiti their welcome sign to Campus of 10 oaks. We had an average of 3 blizzards per year. We didn’t have a single one this year.
All signs indicate that the process of collapse is already underway. We will adapt when we are forced to adapt.
One of many things that is coming at us like a freight train at full speed, alarms and horns blaring, but we still collectively manage to ignore, hide, and deny in order to continue our business as usual. We’re on a dangerous track, and not just regarding the snow cover (although a very important one, snow is also an important insulator!).
Part of my scientific work focuses on the impact of climate change and climate extremes on the natural world (and particularly insects). It’s scary, honestly.
All we can really do is set small examples, and raise awareness. Small ripples may one day turn into waves.
🤍
I too remember jumping off 3-story balconies into 2+ meter high snowbanks in the Alps where we skiied as children…
We did the same thing, I was constantly in trouble.
As you say, Bridget, we are reluctant to give anything up, even when conditions have a direct adverse effect on us.
We are selfish little buggers aren’t we?
I can see no chance of significant change within the foreseeable future.
Not much sign of learning, Bridget
Sadly, no.
This is sobering: people keen on making money do not always take account of the long-term consequences of their schemes.
Climate Change is something we did to ourselves. Our factories, our cars, our desire to have it all and get some more.
Our unwillingness to give just a little.
Now we need to adapt and we don’t want to.