Even if the icy temperatures this January might not suggest it at first glance: It’s getting warmer and warmer in Munich. Whether we will still see snow in a few years’ time is questionable. The climate crisis is accelerating and our planet is heating up to an extent that we can barely comprehend. Especially in the Alpine region, the temperature will rise significantly – without climate protection, it will probably reach five degrees by the end of the century. What will our future look like? Will the most beautiful ski resorts in Bavaria soon be forgotten? And what can we do to prevent this? A special exhibition entitled “Future Alps” at the Alpine Museum in the heart of Munich addresses these important questions.
Glacier retreat and species extinction in the Alps
How climate change is altering our world is particularly evident in the Alps. Not only is the snow and ice disappearing, but the entire biodiversity, flora and fauna of the landscape is changing. The exhibition “Future Alps. Global Warming” clearly shows this change. The contributions for this exhibition were selected with great sensitivity. They show us photographically, cinematically and interactively what climate change looks like in the Alps.
The focus is on three pillars: glacier shrinkage (the drastic changes to the eternal ice), biodiversity (how animals and plants react to rising temperatures and which species are being displaced) and people and tourism (how mountain sports and tourism can be made sustainable). Current images are juxtaposed with historical photographs to make the changes particularly clear. The complex data is visualized in an understandable way so that you can learn a lot in a very simple way.
What we can do: Solutions for more Alpine protection
However, it’s not just about the crisis, but also about adaptation strategies and possible solutions. Ski resorts and tourist regions in particular will undergo major changes. In the coming years, society will have to become more CO2-neutral in order to preserve nature. Scientists, experts from nature conservation associations and members of the German Alpine Association (DAV) and the Youth of the German Alpine Association (JDAV) will present their findings and research results. You can expect unusual stories, surprising photographs and inspiring ideas.
Find out more about the special exhibition on the museum’s website. It is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm and admission costs six euros.