VIENNA (AFP) - The growth of mass Alpine tourism and unregulated development of unstable environmental zones are fueling a rising tide of natural disasters like avalanches and mudslides, experts warned Monday (Jan. 17). Global climate change may also be responsible for the growing toll from such catastrophes, which has grown threefold since the 1960s. The three-day conference, entitled "Living with Natural Hazards," opened Monday and brought together scientific, environmental and sociological experts to discuss the problem.
Governments must act to stem the increase in catastrophes like avalanches in Europe's Alpine heartland and the landslips that struck Venezuela last month, the conference was told. Austrian Science and Transport Minister Caspar Einem told the conference, "These natural disasters not only bring about inexpressible human suffering but may also result in serious environmental damage and shake the economic foundation of the entire population living in the region affected." Einem continued, "While some landslides and avalanches can be traced back to the overexploitation of environmentally sensitive areas, other catastrophes are consequences of the apparent change in global climate."
The meeting's Austrian hosts are all too aware of the consequences of avalanches. Last year, the country suffered its most deadly snow slide tragedy in decades when two avalanches killed 38 people near the village of Galtuer. The growth of so-called extreme sports, such as canyoning and endurance rock-climbing, can also only increase casualty rates, they said. Walter Ender, member of the tourism department of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce said, "The problem with modern tourism is that we can't just sell beds in five-star hotels anymore." While noting that the February 1999 Galtuer tragedy had only cost about 1 percent in the village's annual tourism revenues, Ender added,
"We must sell experiences. People are seeking sensations, and that can bring problems."
Professor Ernst Gehmacher, an expert on the social consequences of natural disasters, agreed that the growing toll gave serious cause for concern. Gehmacher said, "With the present growth rate of incidents. It is most alarming. There is a risk that in the next 10 to 20 years…a major catastrophic event could arise." He added, "We are living in a society which reacts quickly to threats. This could cause a conflict of interest and a collapse of Alpine skiing, for instance."
However, the conference will not concentrate solely on Alpine avalanches effecting tourism. Disasters like the floods and landslides that left 20,000 to 50,000 people dead in Venezuela last month will also be on the agenda.
U.N. expert Phillippe Boulle believed that international cooperation was essential to reduce risks worldwide, and learn from mistakes made. He said, "The more we encroach on nature, the more we suffer from it."
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