Austria Races to Secure Power Supplies as ‘Peak Water’ Looms
Melting Alpine glaciers is forcing Austria to rethink the linchpin of its economy.
Tourists walk on the walls of the Mooserboden dam near Kaprun, in the Austrian Alps.
Photographer: Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images
Austria’s economic model has long been anchored in Alpine water flowing through turbines to generate power for homes and businesses, but as climate change redraws the country’s hydrological map, it faces a structural shift and geopolitical tensions have heightened the sense of urgency.
Scientists warn that the country is approaching a tipping point known as “peak water,” which means that as Alpine glaciers shrink, these frozen reservoirs will no longer be able to boost river flows and generate electricity to the same extent they once did.