Nuclear Future Slippery slopes for European ski resorts

Gilina Voon

Up on the mountains 11,000 feet high in Europe, skiers can see the outstretches of the glistening snowcapped Alps as they take in the breathtaking view and the crisp cold air that fills the landscape.

Fahrenheit this winter, nearly 35 degrees higher than usual.

Staff Writer

Kyan Wang

Staff Writer

The power of the atom has been one of the most feared—and most revered phenomena—known to man. Since the discovery of nuclear fission, a method used to split a large atom that releases tremendous amounts of energy, the energy stored in an atom’s subatomic forces has been utilized for both weapons of destruction and lifegiving electric power. Even more powerful than fission, which nuclear power plants use, is nuclear fusion. The process involves the fusion of small atoms into larger atoms, and releases more than double the energy of a comparable nuclear fission reaction. The U.S. Department of Energy states that nuclear fusion, the same process that powers the Sun, is a clean power generation process that could provide much of the future’s energy needs.

According to the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, on Dec. 5, 2022, researchers at its National Ignition Facility achieved a breakthrough by creating nuclear ignition for the first time in a laboratory setting. The amount of energy used to initiate nuclear fusion was less than the total amount of energy created by the fusion, resulting in a positive output of 54%. The researchers achieved this by shining highpowered lasers into a pea-sized gold cylinder holding a frozen pellet of hydrogen isotopes, causing them to fuse into helium atoms.

Nuclear fusion has long been sought after as the gold standard of power generation with its high potential for energy efficiency that only produces minute amounts of short-lasting radioactive waste. Although a long running joke among the nuclear fusion research community is that controlled nuclear fusion will always be 30 years away from realization, this joke has become increasingly outdated as nuclear fusion development accelerates.

Fusion energy holds the potential to end non-renewable energy dependence, providing a virtually endless source of energy that does not contribute to climate change. Although nuclear power is still confronted with many critics, including those rightfully fearful of potential nuclear meltdowns—as seen in past incidents such as Chernobyl—safe maintenance of nuclear plants lowers the risk of failures. In fact, nonprofit organization Media Matters for America explains that the Environmental Protection Agency’s limits on nuclear power plant radiation levels are so strict that the U.S. Capitol building itself exceeds them by several hundred times. Nuclear fusion energy will begin a new chapter in human progress, bringing an era of peace and prosperity as unlimited energy production becomes the next breakthrough for humanity.

That was until 2020, when many European ski resorts closed due to COVID-19; unfortunately, the pandemic would not be the only factor to hurt the ski industry. This winter’s rising temperatures gave a glimpse of what would come in the future with climate change.

According to The Washington Post, the French ski resort in the Les Gets commune experienced highs of 59 degrees

Climate change has taken a toll on ski resorts, especially those at lower altitudes, as resorts situated below 1,700 meters rarely receive snow. As a result, many lowerelevated resorts closed down, winter competitions were canceled and tourism dropped.

The closure of resorts hurts both the ski tourism business and Europe’s economy, as they transformed these once quiet towns into popular tourist destinations. The holiday season is especially important for ski towns, as wealthy tourists pour in to enjoy skiing, snow activities and winter sports competitions. Without snow, tourism will decline.

Regardless, ski resorts have attempted to find different solutions to stay in business. Some resorts use snow cannons to create artificial snow, while others use helicopters to carry snow. National Geographic found that in 2019, Germany, Austria and Switzerland invested $1.5 billion in total in skiing infrastructure—mostly on snow cannons— to create man-made mountain slopes.

However, this is not always feasible. Snow cannons require a temperature of around 25 degrees Fahrenheit to work, but many ski resorts face warmer weather.

Furthermore, snow cannons consume a lot of water, which drought-ridden countries such as France cannot afford to do.

“Snow cannons and helicopters that transport snow are a waste of energy and contribute to the climate crisis. It is best to leave nature to heal on its own so that one day, it can naturally provide people with ski slopes again,” Junior Steven Rapp said.

On the other hand, some residents of ski towns oppose ski resorts. They believe that the industry is hurting the beauty of the mountains and no longer creating the job opportunities that it had in the past. Many Europeans argue that other activities like mountain biking, hiking or simply enjoying the landscape are sufficient alternatives to skiing.

Per The Washington Post, some climate change activists believe that governments have not been actively working to resolve ski resort challenges. However, in 2021, the Spanish government prohibited parts of a small resort near Madrid from operating, which activists celebrated.

“Governments should restrict ski resorts more actively. Despite the lack of snow, many do not close in an attempt to stay in business. Slopes without enough snow can cause injuries and other problems,” Senior Aditya Mishra said.

The future of ski resorts is unclear, with many businesses struggling to do anything to stay in business—despite troubles from factors outside of their control.