We know the climate is changing and it is damaging our sport. Weather and snow cover is more unpredictable than ever, the season is now 36 days shorter than the long-term average, and the Alps in particular is warming faster than anywhere else. We know fossil fuel combustion is the main driver of climate change.
Meanwhile, the landscapes and snowscapes we love are changing and need protecting. We aim to ‘leave no trace’ when we travel through the mountains; we should aim to do the same when we travel to them.
There are three main things we can do as a club to deliver this priority:
The first is obvious: reduce our carbon emissions as much as possible by planning tours that are accessible by low-carbon travel, and then travelling as carbon-efficiently as possible. You can find advice on travelling by train as part of this section of the website.
The other two require investment, and the club has launched two funds to address the twin challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss:
- ESC Biodiversity Fund: Directly fund biodiversity recovery, through our partnership with Trees for Life
- ESC Carbon Disposal Fund: Pay to dispose of the carbon we generate by travelling for tours, through our partnership with The Carbon Removers
Please support as many of these things as you can.