For skiers and snowboarders, this time of year is always a tense one, as they wait for news of the first snowfall in the Alps.
In recent times, however, another layer of anxiety has been added, as weather patterns become increasingly unpredictable. The latest study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, predicts that a quarter of European ski resorts will suffer a scarcity of snow every other year with 2C of global heating.
While ski tourism might seem a niche concern in the face of the wider climate emergency — indeed a skiing holiday has the potential itself to be a significant contributor to greenhouse gases — the threat is real for the mountain communities that rely on skiing for their livelihood, and the million-plus Brits who embark annually on a winter holiday.
So how can skiers be part of the solution, rather than the problem? “The big change is to ditch the flight,” says Iain Martin, the founder of SkiFlightFree.org and host of the Ski Podcast. Flying to the Alps accounts for about 60-80 per cent of the total carbon footprint of your holiday, so find an alternative and you’re well on your way. Driving by electric vehicle is the greenest option — many charging points en route, such as the Ionity network and Tesla superchargers are supplied with 100 per cent renewable electricity. Second best is to take the train, a no-brainer for Londoners with easy access to St Pancras station. It cuts your travel emissions by about 85 per cent when compared with flying to the Alps, and isn’t as difficult or as expensive as you might think.
“Set alerts for when train tickets come on sale, typically 330 days in advance for Eurostar and three months for the European operators, and you’ll be able to travel to the Alps for about £150-£200 return per person,” says Martin.
Other easy changes include renting your gear and clothing, or buying second hand, and choosing accommodation with clear eco credentials — check their website to see if they have a sustainability policy and which accreditations they’ve earnt.
It’s this information and more that’ll be available to visitors of the London Snow Show. Run in partnership with the Evening Standard, the two-day event includes a brimming programme of workshops and talks designed to help skiers be more responsible, such as Protect Our Winters’ sustainability panel; Why taking the train isn’t as expensive and difficult as you think; and WhoSki.com presents: Easy ways to ski green. With ski resorts and destinations also appearing at the event, it’s the ideal opportunity to interrogate their green credentials face to face.
“The good news is that resorts are taking sustainability seriously,” says Martin. “They need to, and they have been taking measures to shrink their carbon footprint for a while.”
Many now power their lifts with renewable energy, and have made significant improvements in the carbon footprint of their public transport to, from, and within, resort.
As a holidaymaker, it can be hard to know which destinations are doing the right things and deserve our support, so look for the green accreditation schemes that recognise significant efforts. In France it’s the Flocon Vert label (Val Cenis is a proud holder), in Austria it’s the EcoLabel and KLAR (Tirol’s Seefeld resort is Austria’s first EcoLabel resort), and in Switzerland the Swisstainable mark.
Giving customers such choice is the driving force behind the sustainability policy of Inghams, one of the specialist ski tour operators that will be at the London Snow Show and which has announced a raft of dedicated train packages starting this winter to 22 resorts in four countries. “The onus can’t just be on the individual,” says Krissy Roe, senior sustainability manager. “As a tour operator it’s our responsibility to make it as easy as possible for customers to book the greener option.”
