BERLIN, March 27 — Researchers in Germany set out to determine which alpine region of the world is most likely to lose its snow cover as a result of global warming. The answer lies in Australia, where snow cover is diminishing significantly.
Of all the regions studied, the Australian Alps are likely to experience the greatest snow loss in the world by the end of the century. This is the conclusion of a study published in the journal Plos One, which looked at the reduction of snow cover in various mountain ranges around the world as a result of climate change. The research focused on seven mountain ranges around the world: the European Alps, the Andes, the Appalachians, the Australian Alps, the Japanese Alps, the Southern Alps of New Zealand and the Rocky Mountains (USA).
“Within all major skiing regions, snow cover days are projected to decrease substantially under every assessed climate change scenario. Thirteen per cent of all current ski areas are projected to completely lose natural annual snow cover and one fifth will experience a reduction of more than 50 per cent by 2071-2100 relative to historic baselines,” note the authors of the study. Australia is by far the most affected region. The scientists predict that by 2071-2100, average annual snow cover days are likely to decline most in the Australian Alps (78 per cent) and Southern Alps in New Zealand (51 per cent), followed by the Japanese Alps (50 per cent), Andes (43 per cent), European Alps (42 per cent), and Appalachians (37 per cent), with the Rocky Mountains predicted to see the smallest decline, at 23 per cent relative to historic baselines.
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The researchers underline the significant socio-economic consequences for ski resorts, but also the impact on the wildlife that populates these mountain ranges. “Our results are concerning for both the recreational and economic value of skiing as well as for mountain biodiversity since vulnerable high-altitude species might be threatened by space reductions with ski area expansion,” the scientists write.
In recent years, there has been an increasing number of studies warning of the loss of snow cover on mountain peaks. Research carried out in Italy, published in the journal Nature Climate Change in January 2023, estimates, for example, that in part of the Alps, the loss of snow cover between 1971 and 2019 amounts to 5.6 per cent per decade. — ETX Studio
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