The Mont Blanc massif, on the front lines of climate change impacts.
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Global warming is here. Chamonix’s average annual temperature has risen by 2 degrees since around 1850 and the start of the industrial age, which has brought about dramatic glacial melting, a reduction in snowfall, an increase in rock fall and damage to habitats for flora and fauna. Global warming presents us with hard evidence of the Earth’s vulnerability in the face of humanity’s choices. It is the 21st century challenge that necessitates the invention of a new way of living, with the aim of drastically minimising our impact on the world.
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Reducing | Carbon Footprint
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In 2023, our CO2 emissions totaled 14,270 tonnes, distributed as follows:
- Direct emissions: 270 tonnes (1%). These include 110 tonnes from our operations (premises, mountain huts, staff) and 160 tonnes from our activities (accommodation, catering, transportation).
- Indirect emissions: 14,000 tonnes (99%). These are due to the travel of our clients from their homes to Chamonix.
Comparison with our 2022 carbon footprint
Our direct emissions decreased by nearly 30%, thanks to the reduction measures we introduced, including: discontinuing all stays outside Haute-Savoie, Savoie, Valais, and the Aosta Valley, ending all single-day activities located more than 60 km from Chamonix, reducing the size of our minibus fleet, encouraging the use of public transport, facilitating remote work for our guides, and promoting home working for our employees.
Our indirect emissions remain stable and continue to vastly exceed our direct emissions. Approximately 80% of these indirect emissions are generated by the 30% of our clientele who travel by plane. This sobering reality highlights the limitations of the Chamonix tourism model, which is heavily reliant on a high-spending international clientele.
The Mont Blanc massif is an exceptional region for discovering biodiversity. Through our activities, especially those designed for kids, we sketch the outlines of sustainable behaviours of future generations. We particularly insist on the importance of loving nature, knowledge-sharing and understanding sustainable resource management. We believe that we can only care for what we know, understand and love.
In 2022, in addition to our general public activities, we created the project “Discovering and protecting the mountains” for kids from Chamonix and St Gervais – Les Contamines. Every Saturday from March to June, these kids discover for free the mountain environment, its species and habitats. They are also taught about the issues facing their valley as a result of global warming.
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Rethinking our relationship with time and nature
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In a society that is constantly creating new opportunities, we strongly believe that the mountains are a place where we can learn patience and minimalism. Heading into the mountains means allowing time to unfold naturally and carrying only the bare essentials.
In a society that is gradually disconnecting us from the environment, the mountains offer exceptional experiences that allow us to fully appreciate nature as an invaluable entity to which humanity itself belongs.
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Preserving
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Through our environmental fund FOEHN, we provide financial support to:
- Sylv'ACCTES, which promotes sustainable and reasoned forest management. - France Nature Environnement (FNE), a federation of associations dedicated to nature protection, ecological transition, and environmental preservation. - The Research Center for High Altitude Ecosystems (CREA), specializing in the study of climate change impacts on biodiversity and mountain ecosystems. - A project focused on new mountain ecosystems in the context of climate change, aimed at ensuring their future protection in an appropriate manner.
