Climate change: 6 ways the BMC and you can help

Posted by Sarah Stirling on 09/06/2016

The rise in temperature is having a huge impact on the world’s mountains. How can we adapt to the changes, and could we reduce the global impact of our adventures? These issues were up for debate at Sheffield Adventure Film Festival earlier this year. A number of ideas were generated, and all these suggestions will be discussed by the BMC’s Sustainability Working Group over the coming months.

Changes in rainfall, melting permafrost and extreme weather are endangering the survival of mountain people and wildlife, and affecting Alpine climbing, European ski touring, and even the state of our limestone crags.

Climbers and walkers are in the best position to witness and record these changes. However, in a recent article for Summit magazine, Kevin Anderson, professor of energy and climate change at Manchester University, argued that climbers and mountaineers are generally contributing to the problem more than they are helping:

“We no longer get to the crag, the hills or the occasional alpine trip by cycling, the train, thumbing a lift, or cramming four sweaty oiks and their kit into a mini clubman,” he wrote. “Worse still, the crag is often now far beyond the local outcrop, it’s a drive to Malham, a motorway marathon to do the Three Peaks or a bit of Munro bagging, a long weekend in Calpe, a week at Smith Rocks or a rapid ascent of some alpine peak.”

Issues of concern raised at the Ben Winston Memorial Debate included fuel poverty and production, transport and building energy, diet, agriculture, rainfall and flooding, and changes in the boundaries of fragile ecosystems.

Everyone agreed that we can’t sit idly anymore. We all need to take individual action if we want to see solutions. Millions of people need to wake up and agitate the absolute changes required. Being ‘a bit more efficient’ won’t work. Do your actions match your beliefs? Could you reduce your personal waste and impact?

WATCH: Tremfest 2016, the BMC's crag revival festival on BMC TV

What can the BMC do?

Direct action

More campaigning. Advertise more sustainable travel options and trips, publicise more local adventures, encourage car share options, and ‘green up’ climbing huts. Increase the pressure to get climate change higher up the political agenda.

Story telling

Publish more stories about what climbers and walkers are trying to do about climate change, including more short films on BMC TV.

Get connected

Build links with Sheffield Climate Alliance and like-minded organisations, and work with the European Outdoor Group, which represents the European outdoor industry, on issues with outdoor gear manufacturing and retail. 

Throwaway society

We can encourage members to go for quality products that last instead of cheap throwaway items whenever possible, and provide the facts about how long it’s safe to keep gear going.

Sustainable adventures

We can put together ‘Best Practice for BMC Expeditions’ information, covering aspects such as travel, behaviour and sustainable practices.

Let’s talk

Finally, we can roll out this debate at other mountaineering film festivals and sporting events. 

READ:

Mountains matter: stand up against climate change

Meltdown: Free Ben Winston memorial debate at ShAFF

The BMC is a member of theclimatecoalition.org

Ben Winston was a Sheffield climber, writer, photographer and filmmaker who was passionate about adventure and about climate change – read more about his life here.


We want to say a big thanks to every BMC member who continues to support us through the Coronavirus crisis.

From weekly Facebook Lives and GB Climbing home training videos, to our access team working to re-open the crags and fight for your mountain access, we couldn’t do it without you.

Did you know that we've just launched a new U27 membership offer for just £1.50 / month? And with full membership from £2.50 / month, it's never been easier to join and support our work: 

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/join-the-bmc-for-1-month-U27-membership


« Back

Post a comment Print this article

This article has been read 1856 times

TAGS

Click on the tags to explore more

RELATED ARTICLES

Exploring the intersection between winter mountaineering and environmental data collection
1
Exploring the intersection between winter mountaineering and environmental data collection

Robbie Blackhall-Miles, the Vascular Plants Officer for Wales at the wild plant and fungi conservation charity Plant Life, sat down with Tom Carrick, the BMC’s Welsh Access Officer, to discuss the significance of the BMC Winter Monitoring System.
Read more »

Taking Sustainable Steps: Your Guide to Eco-Friendly Living
0
Taking Sustainable Steps: Your Guide to Eco-Friendly Living

In an era where climate change has reached critical levels, organisations worldwide are stepping up to the challenge of addressing the climate crisis. The British Mountaineering Council (BMC), representing climbers, hill walkers, and mountaineers in England and Wales, is taking significant steps to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and serve as a leading example in the fight against climate change.
Read more »

Thousands more embrace Hill Walking
6
Thousands more embrace Hill Walking

Thousands more people embrace hill and mountain walking, according to new Sport England figures.
Read more »

Post a Comment

Posting as Anonymous Community Standards
3000 characters remaining
Submit
Your comment has been posted below, click here to view it
Comments are currently on | Turn off comments
1
Anonymous User
15/06/2016
From all the calculations I've seen by far the most effective action climbers and mountaineers could take is to stop flying or at least fly less frequently. This is far more effective in reducing CO2 emissions than any of the other suggestions.

RELATED ARTICLES

Exploring the intersection between winter mountaineering and environmental data collection
1

Robbie Blackhall-Miles, the Vascular Plants Officer for Wales at the wild plant and fungi conservation charity Plant Life, sat down with Tom Carrick, the BMC’s Welsh Access Officer, to discuss the significance of the BMC Winter Monitoring System.
Read more »

Taking Sustainable Steps: Your Guide to Eco-Friendly Living
0

In an era where climate change has reached critical levels, organisations worldwide are stepping up to the challenge of addressing the climate crisis. The British Mountaineering Council (BMC), representing climbers, hill walkers, and mountaineers in England and Wales, is taking significant steps to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and serve as a leading example in the fight against climate change.
Read more »

Thousands more embrace Hill Walking
6

Thousands more people embrace hill and mountain walking, according to new Sport England figures.
Read more »

BMC MEMBERSHIP
Join 82,000 BMC members and support British climbing, walking and mountaineering. Membership only £16.97.
Read more »
BMC SHOP
Great range of guidebooks, DVDs, books, calendars and maps.
All with discounts for members.
Read more »
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Get covered with BMC Insurance. Our five policies take you from the beach to Everest.
Read more »