Glaciers: The Alps

Question 1

Where is the Alps?

Answer 1

Europe - France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria

Question 2

What are the economic inequalities in the Alps?

Answer 2

the combination of mining and quarrying, manufacturing, industries and tourism

Question 3

What are some of the problems they face due to climate change?

Answer 3

• more frequent droughts in summer
• Winter tourism faces serious challenges, due to unexpected decrease in snow and ice cover. Already 57 of the main ski resorts in the EU Alps are considered non-snow reliant- yet this does create less competition for snow reliable resorts.

Question 4

How have humans mitigated and adapted?

Answer 4

• Farmers have been diversifying, by introducing vineyards or providing campsites for tourists to help boost their income, as traditional transhumance (moving livestock up/down the valley) is no longer viable.
• Comms links have been improved, ensuring people can live and work more effectively (e.g. new roads). Even ski lifts and cable cars to help move around the vast area quicker.
• Locals have developed new ways of supporting tourism, from building new resorts to offering different types of activities in summer and winter to encourage new visitors, (the Marzon Valley in Italy offers a ice kart circuit) - this provides jobs all year round and more income.
• Deforested trees are replanted
• Germany, Switzerland and Austria invested $1.5 billion in skiing infrastructure in 2020
• Countries have been investing in artificial snow canons - 50% of the countries ski slopes were covered in snow for the 2020-2021 season
  — However, not suitable with increasing droughts, water shortages and energy costs- also air temps still need to be below -4.
  — Adaptation to cope with change in the Alps often means finding new ways of coping, whilst still attracting people to work, live or spend leisure time in this region. This creates a viscous cycle of continued increasing pressure.