Climate Change and Tourism - UNEP - Division of Technology ...

90 Climate Change and Tourism – Responding to Global Challenges
Large increases in snow-making requirements under climate change scenarios raise questions about the
sustainability of this adaptation strategy in certain locations (Box 13). Communities and environmental
organizations have expressed concern about the extensive water use and chemical additives associated
with snow-making. Even where snow-making is climatically feasible and water supplies can be secured,
the additional infrastructure and energy costs associated with large increases in snow-making volumes
at higher average temperatures may be uneconomic for some ski operators. Concerns have also been
raised that the increased costs of snow-making, particularly for smaller operators at lower elevations,
may again drive skiing to become a ‘sport for the rich’. 456 Regulation of the development and operation
of snow-making systems differs across and within nations. In regional ski markets, such as the European
Alps or New England states, varied government regulations and support for snow-making (through
energy or water subsidies) may provide a competitive advantage to certain ski areas. For example,
chemical-bacterial additives to facilitate snow-making at temperatures near or even above freezing are
allowed in Switzerland 457 , but banned in Germany, offering a competitive edge to Swiss ski areas.
Other important technical adaptation strategies that have been questioned from a sustainability
perspective include glacier preservation and expansion of ski areas into higher elevations. Glacial
retreat is observed to be a global trend 458 and ski areas have utilized two distinct strategies to preserve
glaciers deemed important to their operations. 459 With the increased recession of glaciers in the Alps
in recent years, notably the record warm summer of 2003, ski areas in Switzerland and Austria, have
installed large sheets of white polyethylene on critical areas of glaciers to protect the ice from ultraviolet
radiation and restrict melting during summer months. 460 In Canada, the Whistler-Blackcomb ski resort
is considering an engineering plan to maintain the Horstman Glacier at the top of Blackcomb Mountain
by installing snow fences and using snow-making near the summit to provide additional snow inputs
for the glacier. 461, 462 The development of new skiable terrain at environmentally sensitive higher
elevations, where snow cover is more reliable and a longer ski season possible, has also a commonly
identified adaptation strategy. 463, 464, 465 Thirty-six ski areas in Austria applied for permits to expand
their operations into higher elevations in 2002–2003. 466
Box 13 The sustainability of snow-making
Although concerns have been raised about the environmental impacts of snow-making, little
scientific research has been conducted on its differential regional impacts on mountain vegetation,
watersheds or energy use and related GHG emissions. Studies have found snow-making to have
a localized affect on ski slope vegetation composition and biodiversity of high alpine plants by
altering spring soil temperature and moisture, as well as the introduction of phytopathogenic
bacteria (used as nuclei to enhance ice crystal formulation). 467, 468
Concerns about the tremendous water use by snow-making have largely been focused on the impact
of water withdrawals from natural water bodies, and there is little knowledge of inter-watershed
transfers of water or any regional impact on water cycle from snow-making. When water for snowmaking
is withdrawal from natural water bodies (streams and lakes), water levels may be reduced
at critical times of the year, impacting fish and other marine species. Some jurisdictions have
strict regulations governing water withdrawals for snow-making. For example, the State of Vermont
(USA) implemented a ‘February Mean Flow’ standard, where water withdrawals for snow-making
are not permitted when natural watercourses are at or below the average mean flow. To reduce
impacts on natural watercourses, many ski areas have constructed reservoirs to ‘stockpile’ water
during high flow periods (spring freshet) for winter use. No estimates of total water withdrawals or
reservoir storage capacity are available for any ski region.
The sustainability of snow-making has also been questioned on the basis of energy use and related
GHG emissions. Snow-making as been referred to as a ‘perverse’ climate change adaptation
because the large projected increase in snow-making under climate change scenarios 469
will further contribute to the very problem of adaptation. In tourism, similar arguments could
be made of air conditioning in the Mediterranean, Caribbean or other tropical destinations.
UNWTO, 9 July 2008