Greening Of The Alps Leads To Warming, Less Freshwater In Europe

Every year, it seems, a study detailing the extent of Arctic snow and ice loss is produced. But what about the climate implications of rising temperatures in snowy locations far from the polar regions?

Photo Insert: The European Alps

Researchers from the University of Lausanne and the University of Basel recently investigated this precise subject in relation to the European Alps, Chad Small reported for Grist magazine.

The researchers utilized satellite photos to evaluate variations in Alpine snow cover over the last 38 years in a first-of-its-kind study published in the journal Science. As the region has warmed due to climate change, more precipitation has fallen as rain rather than snow.

However, the climate-driven changes in the region were not limited to snow loss: while Alpine snow cover had declined significantly in roughly 10% of the studied area, vegetation levels had increased significantly in 77% of the recorded area, according to the researchers. Even the study's authors were astonished by the results.

Sabine Rumpf, lead author of the study and assistant professor at the University of Basel, noted that “the scale of the change has turned out to be absolutely massive in the Alps.”

The fact that Alpine snow cover has only decreased by 10% may appear to be good news, but it does not bode well for the region.

Further Alpine snow loss, in terms of both extent and thickness, could have disastrous effects for people and the economy in the region. Snow in the Alps is vital to European water supplies; the Alps provide up to 40% of Europe's freshwater.

Furthermore, adequate snow is critical to regional tourism. The Alpine snow season shortened by 38 days between 1960 and 2017. The researchers expressed concern that the Alps' unprecedented "greening" could jeopardize future snow cover.

Warmer temperatures have allowed more plant species to thrive, allowing them to effectively outcompete traditional Alpine flora, according to Rumpf. This increase in green coverage may exacerbate climate change-related warmth.

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