As global warming threatens winter sports, carbon-intensive luxury ski tourism thrives—from Greenland to Antarctica. A group of 17 industry leaders and freeriders now calls for action to ground heli-skiing and safeguard regular off-piste skiing.

Picture mountain after mountain of untouched snowfields, ancient ice shimmering under the polar sun – a wilderness cloaked in pristine silence. Now replace this silence with the roar of helicopters, the fumes of private jets, and superyachts anchored in fragile Arctic and Antarctic waters, all to satisfy the ultra-rich’s desire for off-piste skiing.

This isn’t a dystopian fantasy. This kind of travel is already happening, offered by companies like Arctic Elements and Pelorus Yachting, luxury travel providers taking clients on exclusive ski trips to Greenland and Antarctica.

Meanwhile, traditional low-altitude ski resorts are seeing more rain and fewer visitors. Artificial snow covers the slopes, while green patches appear all around. Off-piste skiing is becoming an endangered activity among the middle classes.

In the not-so-distant future, the cost of skiing could be so high and the few snow-reliable areas so remote that the vast majority will be forced to find other winter pursuits. Only the ultra-rich will have the means to find fresh powder. Next stops: Greenland, Alaska, and Antarctica.

Next stops: even more vulnerable environments

This is far from the gravest example of climate injustice. But it is yet another illustration of how the ultra-rich, who emit vastly more carbon per capita, make life more difficult for ordinary people – while maintaining their carbon-intensive lifestyles.

Private jets, frequently used for these trips, emit vastly more CO₂ per passenger than commercial flights. A single long-haul private jet flight can emit as much CO₂ as the average person does over an entire year [1]. Add helicopters and superyachts, and the carbon footprint becomes grotesque.

Luxury ski tourism is destructive everywhere, but especially so in Antarctica—one of the last truly untouched wilderness areas on Earth. Scientific research warns that human-induced climate change and other human activities in the region are already pushing Antarctic ecosystems toward cascading tipping points [2]. The continent’s vast ice sheets regulate global sea levels and climate patterns [3]. Disruptions such as increased warming or human disturbance can set off changes that are irreversible on human timescales [3].

Take a stand and protect your winters

Too much of the ski industry and many resorts remain silent about the future of off-piste skiing. They are sawing off the branch they’re sitting on. As global warming worsens, ski seasons will shrink, low-altitude resorts will become unviable, and entire mountain economies will suffer [4].

Beyond the environmental disaster, there’s an undeniable moral hypocrisy. While the world is urged to cut emissions and make sacrifices, the wealthiest few burn thousands of liters of fuel just to ski in remote places. Those who truly cherish the mountains must not let this go unchallenged. Ski brands, resorts, mountain guides, and skiers have a choice.

• Condemn high-carbon luxury ski tourism; promote responsible travel over elite environmental destruction.
• Invest in sustainable alternatives, including low-carbon travel and nature conservation.
• As outdoor enthusiasts, act responsibly by buying less and demanding better, more sustainable products from accountable brands.
• Support and join organizations like Protect Our Winters.

 

References

Lead image: John Carnemolla