ACTION(S), REACTION(S) MOVING MOUNTAINS

It is a long way to the top and to get a glimpse of a new future, but we are moving forward, leaving no one behind, and ensuring the road is safe and secure. There are many study and reflection groups focused on the climate situation and the future of tourism in the mountains, at local, national or international levels, all providing arguments for taking action. Funding is being allocated at all levels to finance research and initiatives, and to support this transition. The regulation of tourist flows, the improvement of air and water quality, actions in favour of agriculture, mobility, diversification, education, and research and development from planning players are all the beginnings of a white (and green) revolution...

As part of the INRAE, the Laboratory for Ecosystems and Societies in the Mountains (LESSEM) leads research on the dynamics of alpine socio-ecosystems. “Our main job is to document and produce knowledge,” says Emmanuelle George, a researcher in mountain tourism development and deputy head of the ACT department. “We also do a lot of objective research to make indicators and methodologies available to a range of stakeholders to help them make decisions. We work with public policy makers, but also with economic actors and local authorities.” Emmanuelle George coordinates the INTERREG Alpine Space programme called TRANSTAT (Transition of Mountain Resorts and Territories). “Along with our Slovenian, Italian, Austrian and Swiss partners, we are thinking about transition pathways based on their characteristics. We have built a network of resorts that are committed to this transition and united by a shared vision of the future developed in line with both their fragility and their strengths.”

Within the USMB foundation, the Sustainable Tourism Research Chair gathers and unites projects around the sustainable tourism initiatives rolled out by destinations while monitoring changes in demand. “We have studied the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships, including the implementation of their CSR approach and how it fits in with the regional projects of the two host resorts, Courchevel and Méribel. The study is still underway, but the approach is interesting because this charter enabled the organising committee to obtain ISO 21000 certification relatively quickly. In a short space of time, a lot of progress will be made following this event, both in terms of actual actions and also in terms of know-how and organising methods,” says Dominique Kreziak, Marketing Environment Tourism researcher and Scientific Head of the Chair. “The event provided a demonstration and inspiration for others like it,” he says. “These approaches are always part of the path to progress, although we know that there is still a long way to go!”

This interaction between science and fieldwork can also be seen in the rise of CLIMSNOW, a public-private consortium between Météo France, the INRAE and Dianeige (a firm specialising in the development of mountain resorts), whose mission is to quantify the impact of climate change on snow coverage in resorts. Their analysis assesses resorts’ ability to maintain their operations, how much effort it takes, what methods are used, and the timeframes required. With more than 110 diagnoses already logged, the tool is being increasingly used. The prefect of Haute-Savoie is even considering submitting all new equipment requests to this organisation.