Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies of Spanish Catalan Alpine Ski Resorts

Ski tourism in Catalonia has long been a fundamental socioeconomic asset for the Pyrenees region. However, in recent years some studies increasingly warn about the dubious future viability of most ski resorts as a result of climate change, and recommend the implementation of adaptation strategies fo...

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Main Authors: David Sauri, Joan Carles Llurdés
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institut de Géographie Alpine
Series:Revue de Géographie Alpine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/rga/6796
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author David Sauri
Joan Carles Llurdés
author_facet David Sauri
Joan Carles Llurdés
author_sort David Sauri
collection DOAJ
description Ski tourism in Catalonia has long been a fundamental socioeconomic asset for the Pyrenees region. However, in recent years some studies increasingly warn about the dubious future viability of most ski resorts as a result of climate change, and recommend the implementation of adaptation strategies for seasons in which snow maybe absent or insufficient. In this context, the article analyzes the evolution of the most common adaptation strategies to increasingly problematic ski seasons: on the one hand, the installation of snowmaking facilities and, on the other, the diversification of the main tourist product, skiing, towards other, snow-independent leisure activities. In Spanish Catalan resorts we observe that snowmaking is widespread but that, according to some scenarios, could not ensure the future viability of most resorts. The transformation of the ski resorts in mountain resorts represents in principle a more reliable adaptation measure although it has still to prove its potential on two critical questions: the impacts of climate change on new activities and the environmental consequences of the same activities.
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spelling doaj.art-d7117f977b2b443a988d4abcd3c010602024-02-14T15:04:11ZengInstitut de Géographie AlpineRevue de Géographie Alpine0035-11211760-7426108110.4000/rga.6796Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies of Spanish Catalan Alpine Ski ResortsDavid SauriJoan Carles LlurdésSki tourism in Catalonia has long been a fundamental socioeconomic asset for the Pyrenees region. However, in recent years some studies increasingly warn about the dubious future viability of most ski resorts as a result of climate change, and recommend the implementation of adaptation strategies for seasons in which snow maybe absent or insufficient. In this context, the article analyzes the evolution of the most common adaptation strategies to increasingly problematic ski seasons: on the one hand, the installation of snowmaking facilities and, on the other, the diversification of the main tourist product, skiing, towards other, snow-independent leisure activities. In Spanish Catalan resorts we observe that snowmaking is widespread but that, according to some scenarios, could not ensure the future viability of most resorts. The transformation of the ski resorts in mountain resorts represents in principle a more reliable adaptation measure although it has still to prove its potential on two critical questions: the impacts of climate change on new activities and the environmental consequences of the same activities.https://journals.openedition.org/rga/6796Winter tourism / Climate change / Adaptation strategies / Catalan Pyrenees
spellingShingle David Sauri
Joan Carles Llurdés
Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies of Spanish Catalan Alpine Ski Resorts
Revue de Géographie Alpine
Winter tourism / Climate change / Adaptation strategies / Catalan Pyrenees
title Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies of Spanish Catalan Alpine Ski Resorts
title_full Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies of Spanish Catalan Alpine Ski Resorts
title_fullStr Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies of Spanish Catalan Alpine Ski Resorts
title_full_unstemmed Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies of Spanish Catalan Alpine Ski Resorts
title_short Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies of Spanish Catalan Alpine Ski Resorts
title_sort climate change and adaptation strategies of spanish catalan alpine ski resorts
topic Winter tourism / Climate change / Adaptation strategies / Catalan Pyrenees
url https://journals.openedition.org/rga/6796
work_keys_str_mv AT davidsauri climatechangeandadaptationstrategiesofspanishcatalanalpineskiresorts
AT joancarlesllurdes climatechangeandadaptationstrategiesofspanishcatalanalpineskiresorts