Slippery slope? Alpine tourism in the face of climate crisis – photo essay

theguardian.com:

T he Alps, with their picturesque landscapes and diverse range of outdoor activities, are a major destination for tourists from all over the world. Each year, about 120 million people visit the region to experience its natural beauty and participate in activities such as skiing, snowboarding, hiking and cycling. However, this level of tourism has a significant impact on the environment and climate of the region.

Residents of the Alps are heavily dependent on tourists for their livelihoods, making it a delicate balancing act between addressing environmental concerns and preserving the interests of the tourism industry. Ski areas in particular have invested millions of euros in efforts to maintain their operations and combat the effects of climate breakdown.

A farmer helps his sheep who was stuck in a small valley in Arc 2000

Sheep graze on what is the ski slope in winter. Several reasons can be given for this, but two of them are land management: grazing sheep can help maintain the grass on the slopes, prevent soil erosion, and improve the health of the vegetation; and agricultural use: ski slopes can be used for agricultural purposes, such as grazing land for sheep, during the off-season when the slopes are not in use for skiing.

A group of walkers in summer. Right: a group of tourists play volleyball in Arc 1800. They come each year to the resort for a holiday and the cool summer

The Alps have long been known for their winter tourism, but in recent years there has been a push to attract tourists in the summer as well, with activities such as mountain biking. This has been driven by the desire to make resorts more profitable throughout most of the year

Global heating, however, and the resulting lack of reliable snowfall is