POW and ANU Report Paints a Grim Picture for Australian Snow Industry and Alpine Regions Unless Emissions are Reduced

June 5th, 2024
The Australian Alps. A unique environment that is under threat.

Mountainwatch | Protect Our Winters Australia

ANU and POW have just released the Our Changing Snowscapes: Climate Change Impacts and Recommendations for the Australian Alps’. This report was developed by the Australian Mountain Research Facility and ANU, commissioned by Protect Our Winters Australia, reviews the current state of climate change impacts on the Australian Alps and puts forward recommendations for a better path forward.

The independent report pulls together the available literature on the impacts of climate change on Australia’s winters, particularly from the lens of the winter sports industry and community.  POW believe that a low emissions scenario is still possible but will require the collective action of communities, businesses, the alpine sports industry and government to act now if we want to ensure the unique snowy mountains are not adversely impacted by climate change.
“The academic research and findings of this report aim to show that under a low emissions scenario, there is still time to protect the unique alpine regions of Australia if we act now.”

POW Australia commissioned this report as we found that the information on climate impacts in the Australian Alps was fragmented and outdated, with significant focus on snowfall and ecological impacts, and limited research on the social and economic consequences of climate change.

In commissioning this report, we have brought together the current breadth of knowledge of climate impacts and projections on the Australian Alps, looking specifically at a wide range of economic, social and environmental impacts.

The report highlights a cascading series of interconnected impacts across alpine tourism, regional communities, hydroelectricity, high country water flows to the Murray-Darling Basin, carbon sequestration, high country ecosystems, and First Nations impacts and makes recommendations on how best to respond to these impacts.

Thredbo powder day. Scenes like this will become less likely under current emissions scenarios, so the time to act is now. Photo: Thredbo

Summary

The Australian Alps region encompasses approximately 5,200 km2 above the nominal seasonal snowline in south-eastern Australia and extends over 1.6 million hectares of public land contained in 11 national parks and nature reserves across New South Wales (NSW), Victoria (VIC), and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). It is one of Australia’s most unique and fragile landscapes, with 31 endemic flora species and further endemic fauna species, including the Mountain Pygmy Possum and Southern Corroboree Frog. Flora and fauna of the Australian Alps is particularly vulnerable to climate change, because unlike in many other countries, there are limited higher elevation areas which replicate their original habitats in a new climate.

Climate change projections specific to the Australian Alps have existed since 1988. These projections vary depending on their focus and the emission scenario used, however, all predict similar trends. Even small temperature increases would have a catastrophic impact on the Australian winter tourism industry. These trends are that the Australian Alps will become hotter, with less annual rainfall, less precipitation falling as snow, will have fewer suitable snowmaking hours, and will experience more frequent and severe droughts, bushfires, and storms.

Resorts at lower elevations like Mt Baw Baw are more susceptible to the impacts of climate change.

The Australian snowpack is now at a 2,000-year low. Snow cover between 1954 and 2012 has reduced by 30% and the length of the ski season has already contracted by 17% – 28% across most Australian alpine resorts. Businesses and regional communities at present are experiencing the impacts of climate change and these impacts are projected to worsen rapidly without decisive climate mitigation.

The Australian Alps is significantly transforming due to climate change. The extent of this transformation depends on the success of Australian and global climate mitigation efforts. What the Australian Alps transforms to is partly dependent on how communities, industries, and high-country ecosystems adapt.

Lack of leadership on climate change mitigation and adaptation will leave stakeholders to adapt incrementally and autonomously, without coordination or support, and will miss opportunities to direct the transformation of social and ecological systems.

The United Nations World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) State of the Climate report emphasises that globally the cost of climate inaction is higher than the cost of climate action, and this is the case in the Australian Alps.

The Australian Alps are home to unique fauna and flora. Photo: Tony Harrington

Conclusion
a) Climate change impacts are already driving autonomous adaptation measures in the environment and by industries across the Australian
Alps;
b) Some impacts can be mitigated by restoring environmental health of high country ecosystems, including by enhanced programs for control of weeds and feral animals, and peat bog restoration;
c) Many high country species of flora and fauna are at risk of extinction and require consideration of translocation and ex-situ conservation;
d) Climate change is driving expansion of new adaptions in industries, such as development of more mountain biking and pumped storage hydropower facilities, and informed discussion is required to manage environmental and other trade-offs.
The Australian Alps is rapidly changing. Governments, industries, and community groups need to proactively consider a range of adaptation options to understand the risks, minimise the costs, and maximise the benefits from this unwanted transition.

Resorts will be more reliant on snowmaking but they all need to move to renewable energy. Photo: Hotham Alpine Resort

Recommendations

Investment in year-round tourism and diversification of winter tourism should occur. These options need to be balanced with ecological values and the carrying capacity for each needs to be determined.

Extensive collaboration about adaptation options needs to occur between natural resource managers, the alpine resorts, and the community to ensure that ecological trade-offs are acceptable and that adaptation options have the best chance of a sustainable and economically viable outcome.

The report and its findings are available at protectourwinters.org.au

Further investment in renewable energy for snowmaking operations needs to occur, at a resort and/or state levels. POW is holding a online report briefing session on June 19th at 6:30PM for all interested members of the public – register your attendance here.