In a time of climate change, melting snow and an energy crisis, is it still appropriate to put a new generation on skis? Bavarian daily newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung, transferred International mailexposed both sides of the debate, on January 13.
Less snow, melting permafrost at high altitudes, melting glaciers… In the mountains, perhaps more than anywhere else, climate change can be seen with the naked eye. As a result, more and more ski resorts are closing slopes and/or turning to artificial snow. German daily newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung , in an article forwarded by international mail, On January 13, he faced two opposing visions of the debate.
Let’s enjoy it while there’s still time
The first argument refers to Carpe Diem. To give up skiing would be to give up a “magical experience” and “a vacation that probably won’t be possible any time soon.” Especially since, according to the German newspaper, skiing is far from being the primary cause of climate change. And yet he isn’t strictly speaking, because the transport related to winter sports is the primary cause of pollution here. They account for 52% to 74% of CO emissions2: according to a station Set free which synthesized three studies on the subject and states that, in short, skiers arriving by car emit more CO2 per person per day than preparing the slopes themselves.
Many sources of greenhouse gas emissions
Maybe “green skis”. If you go there by public transport, rent your equipment and find well-insulated accommodation, sums it up. International mail. However, the first condition is not very affordable for citizens of countries that are not saturated with ski resorts. and the last one is not obvious either. According to the National Federation of Real Estate (FNAIM), almost 69% of those living in mountain resorts will be energy squeezers, rated F or G, the magazine reports. Many, built in the 1960s and 1970s and primarily tourist accommodations, have not been a priority for renovation. Result: it’s getting a little warmer outside…
If we also know that ski lifts account for only 2 to 3% of the carbon footprint of ski resorts (because they are electric and electricity in France has a low carbon content compared to other countries), other mountain activities can increase impact on the environment. The German daily explains that spas, glaciers and other water centers not only require heavy infrastructure, but also contribute to the artificialization of land. These ancillary activities would therefore be responsible for 17% of human greenhouse gas emissions in the mountains, explains NOWU media in a survey of skiing and climate change.
artificial snow
“In many stations, explains the Bavarian daily, the snow is stored in sheds when it falls, so that it can be taken out later. For the snow cannons to work, the mercury must drop below -2°C. On New Year’s Day, the thermometer read 20°C. In addition, water is needed to make artificial snow. 95 million m would be required from this scarce resource3: annually produce artificial snow from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia and France, estimates NOWU, which specializes in environmental issues. Thus, the installation of snow cannons to maintain skiing activities is controversial; for example, the Fifth Hillside Reservoir Project in La Clusaz created the installation of a ZAD before it was blocked by the courts.
Find magic elsewhere
One can also put forward the utilitarian argument, of course, a bit harshly. Unlike other sports such as swimming (a way to avoid drowning) and cycling (ecological mobility), neither skiing nor snowboarding contribute to our lives, but only serve to entertain us. And to echo the aforementioned idea that skiing is a magical sport, one can also enjoy skiing without mountains (surfing, skateboarding…), without mountains with snow (hiking), or with “magic” without snow; mountains (other snowy landscapes may be more accessible).
In the video: 10 indoor sports to do in winter
Source: Le Figaro
