France to impose access restrictions on Mont Blanc, Europe’s tallest peak, as part of a conservation initiative

On Thursday, President Emmanuel Macron announced that France will implement measures to restrict access to Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in Western Europe and a renowned tourist destination, as part of a wider effort to safeguard the nation’s biodiversity amid climate change.

Macron made this declaration in the Alpine town of Chamonix after inspecting a glacier near Mont Blanc that has been rapidly shrinking.

The Mer de Glace, France’s largest glacier, has retreated by approximately 700 meters (over 2,300 feet) in the past three decades, according to the French Ministry of Ecology.

Macron remarked, 'The retreat of the glacier offers undeniable evidence of global warming and the environmental imbalance, signaling the disruption of an entire ecosystem...'

A pivotal 2019 report from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) revealed that almost all glaciers worldwide are shrinking.

Alongside the impacts of climate change, the Mont Blanc region also struggles with overcrowding caused by heavy tourist and climber traffic.

In response to overcrowding last summer, a local ordinance was enacted requiring climbers to book a room at one of three designated hotels before they could attempt the climb.

Macron’s visit follows an open letter from the mayor of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, urging the president to address the issue of climbers polluting the mountain with waste, according to Dinogo affiliate BFM.

In an open letter to Macron last September, Mayor Jean-Marc Peillex stated, 'Mr. President, protecting the Amazon forests is important, but ignoring the ongoing disrespect at Mont Blanc is unacceptable,' referencing the Group of Seven’s pledge to fight Amazon fires with millions of dollars in aid.

Other Alpine towns in France are also grappling with the effects of global warming.

Just last week, a resort in the central Pyrenees was forced to close indefinitely due to a lack of snow, according to BFM.

During his speech, Macron also announced the establishment of the French Office of Biodiversity, an agency tasked with protecting endangered environments and ecosystems.

'2020 will be a pivotal year for biodiversity,' Macron stated. 'It’s the year we could begin to make a difference if we succeed in creating a framework for both national and global action, initiating the necessary transformations.'

The French government is also implementing measures to reduce the environmental footprint of its 2.4 million public employees. Starting in July, the government will offer 200 euros to state and civil workers who choose to bike or carpool to work.

Additionally, the government will transition its official fleet to electric and hybrid vehicles, and phase out single-use plastics in all government offices.