Australian Alps Facing Loss Of Up To 78% Of Snow Cover By 2100

Global heating will cause snow cover in the Australian Alps to decline by 78% by the end of the century – much faster than the declines assessed in six other major skiing regions, new research has found.

The study published today by researchers from Germany’s University of Bayreuth cautioned about the quickening consequences of the climate crisis, predicting 13% of ski areas across the globe may lose all natural snow cover in a future with high emissions. “Within this century, ongoing climate change will globally lead to a substantial reduction in annual snow cover days in current ski areas under all emissions scenarios,” the study said. “We project a considerable increase in ski areas completely lacking snow in the future.”

The study focused on seven major mountainous skiing regions, including the European Alps, Andes, Appalachian Mountains, Australian Alps, Japanese Alps, Southern Alps, and Rocky Mountains. For each it assessed the consequences of three climate change scenarios: “low” “high” and “very high” emissions.

Under all three, annual snow cover days across the seven major mountain areas with downhill skiing “will significantly decrease worldwide”. “Under a high emissions scenario, ski areas in the southern hemisphere … will be most severely affected by climate change,” the study reads. Australia’s 78% rate of decline ranks by far the highest of the major skiing regions assessed, which include the European Alps at 42%, Japanese Alps at 50% and Southern Alps of New Zealand at 51%.

EDIT

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/mar/15/australian-alps-face-worlds-largest-loss-of-snow-by-end-of-century-research-shows