German Alpine Club “Environmental Groups Call For Ecological Reorientation Of The Bavarian Cable Car Funding Guidelines”

The cable car funding guideline in its current version is not up-to-date and must not be continued unchanged - the alpine and environmental associations organized under the umbrella of CIPRA agree on this. They are calling for subsidies for cable cars and so-called ancillary buildings such as snowmaking systems to be made dependent on sustainability criteria in the future. In order to get the demands heard, a corresponding petition was submitted to the Bavarian state parliament on September 27th.

The cable car funding guideline subsidizes modernization projects in Bavaria with up to 35 percent of the costs. Not only the lift systems, but also ancillary buildings such as snowmaking systems are subsidized with taxpayers' money. In times of the climate crisis and increasing water scarcity, this is not up-to-date.

The alpine and environmental associations united under the umbrella of CIPRA, BUND Naturschutz in Bayern (BN), Deutscher Alpenverein (DAV), Society for Ecological Research, State Association for Bird Protection (LBV), Mountain Wilderness Germany, NaturFreunde Deutschlands Landesverband Bayern (NF) and Association for the Protection of the Mountain World (VzSB) are not fundamentally opposed to subsidies for the modernization of existing systems.

 

However, cash flows should be linked to sustainability criteria:

• No subsidies for snowmaking systems or cable cars in connection with fun park elements (e.g. flying foxes); instead promote the renovation of existing plants
• Regional cable car tourism concepts should ensure, among other things, that
• skiing is still possible in the medium term,
• Overloading of the natural space through capacity expansions is excluded
• and a suitable mobility concept is implemented, which also protects the residents from additional burdens

Cable car funding guideline increases usage pressure in the Bavarian Alps

In the current funding guidelines, such sustainability criteria as a condition for subsidies are missing. “Most cable car renewals are associated with capacity increases. But the relaxation areas of the Bavarian Alps are coming under more and more pressure. Traffic collapse is imminent in some regions. Therefore, a quantitative growth in tourism can no longer be a goal for the Bavarian Alps. Rather, qualitative further development is necessary,” says Richard Mergner, state chairman of BUND Naturschutz.

 

A central point of criticism from the associations is the promotion of snowmaking systems via the current guideline. The construction and operation of these facilities involve major interventions in nature. Added to this is the high water and energy consumption. "The promotion of snow-making systems should be removed from the cable car promotion guidelines. Snow cannons and new reservoirs should no longer be subsidized by taxpayers' money. In times of climate change and the associated reorientation of Alpine tourism, that sends the wrong signal,” said DAV Vice President Manfred Sailer.

 

Comprehensive room concept necessary

“Making the Alpine region economically and ecologically future-proof means, above all, protecting this natural jewel. The Alpine region, with its unique habitats and outstanding biodiversity, is more at risk from climate change than other regions. In all planned measures, the interests of species and biotope protection must therefore be given priority over further tourist development, and the Alpine plan must be complied with," says Dr. Norbert Schäffer, Chairman of the LBV. A regional cable car tourism concept should reconcile the requirements of nature-friendly and economically viable tourism in order to protect the Bavarian Alps from being overloaded.

 

In addition, such a concept must be integrated into an overall tourism strategy for the Bavarian Alpine region, which clearly shows how Bavarian Alpine tourism can be brought into line with the Paris climate protection goals and integrated into sustainable overall development. "Unregulated upgrades of cable car systems for winter and summer operation through to the eventing of the mountains should not be supported with tax funds," emphasizes Dr. Sabine Rösler, First Chairwoman of the Association for the Protection of the Mountain World.

 

Petition calls for public debate on cable car funding guidelines

Most recently, the cable car funding guideline was continued without any significant changes. In times of the climate crisis and the correspondingly changing social discourse, the environmental organizations can no longer accept this and are therefore calling for a public debate and a realignment of the cable car funding guidelines. The corresponding petition was handed over to the Bavarian state parliament by representatives of the associations on September 27th. The demands of the associations also found support in the Supreme Advisory Board for Nature Conservation of the Ministry of the Environment, which underscores them with a corresponding resolution.