Mario (franchise)

• Behind all these tensions lies the same question: what does the future hold for skiing on an overheating planet?
• In recent decades, France has seen some ski resorts close due to a lack of snow or a sustainable business model.

This question is not just a concern for amateur or professional skiers. Skiing is also an economic issue, with a total turnover estimated at 30 billion euros in Europe. In France alone, 120,000 jobs depending directly and indirectly on the ski economy.

53% of ski resorts are at risk of running out of snow at +2°C

• At 2°C of global warming above pre-industrial levels, 53% of European resorts are at very high risk of low snowfall.
• At 4°C of global warming, 98% of European resorts are at very high risk of low snowfall.

Changes in the use of snow production

• Snow production involves projecting micro-droplets of water into the atmosphere so that they freeze before falling back to the ground.
• In the past, snow was produced mainly to limit the impact of natural fluctuations in snow cover from one season to the next.

À lire aussi :
Les stations de ski forcées de repenser leur modèle

Snow production also affected by rising temperatures

• Like natural snow, snow production is affected by rising temperatures, because snow production requires sufficiently cold weather conditions.
• Not all ski resorts will equally be able to adapt to rising temperatures by producing snow.

The carbon footprint of snow production

• What’s more, snow production is not carbon-neutral, so it’s important to bear this in mind before setting this technique up as the ultimate answer to reducing snow cover.
• We have therefore also calculated the water requirements, production and energy demand involved, and the carbon footprint of the electricity used to produce snow.
• It is therefore likely that the services provided by snow production will not be the same as in the past, which could make snow cover even more fragile over the high season.

Similarly, at around 80 kt eq CO2, the carbon footprint of the electricity used to produce snow remains limited, even if it varies greatly depending on countries’ energy mix.

Skiers’ transport and accommodation still emit a lot of CO₂

• In reality, it is responsible for only a fraction of the carbon footprint of a winter sports tourist destination, with skiers’ transport and accommodation proving most polluting.
• Carbon emissions could nevertheless rise as people travel further and further afield to find snow.

The research laboratory to which Hugues François belongs (INRAE, Lyon Grenoble Center, LESSEM) has received funding from various public and private organizations for its research projects The Météo-France department (DCSC) for which Raphaëlle Samacoïts works has received funding from various public and private organizations for its research projects. The research laboratory to which Samuel Morin belongs (CNRM, Météo-France - CNRS) has received funding from various public and private organizations for its research projects.