Winter sports are facing a significant crisis due to climate change, with the International Ski and Snowboard Federation joining forces with the United Nations weather agency to address the issue. The partnership between FIS and the World Meteorological Organization is set to last for five years and aims to assist national ski federations, venues, and race organizers in better understanding weather forecasting to manage both natural and artificial snow. An online meeting has been scheduled for November 7th to kick off this collaboration.
In a joint statement, the Switzerland-based organizations highlighted the challenges that winter sports and tourism are currently facing as a result of climate change and rising temperatures. Last season, 26 out of 616 World Cups organized by FIS across various disciplines had to be canceled due to weather-related issues, impacting sports such as Alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboard park and pipe, freestyle skiing, and ski jumping.
The implications of climate change on winter sports go beyond just canceled events and disrupted vacations. The WMO Secretary-General, Celeste Saulo, emphasized that the climate crisis poses an existential threat to skiing and snowboarding, and this partnership between FIS and the UN weather agency is a step towards addressing these challenges.
As global temperatures continue to rise, concerns have been raised about the future of snow events at the Winter Games. By 2040, only 10 countries may have a climate-reliable outlook to host such events. The 2022 Beijing Winter Games resorted to using artificial snow for Alpine races, highlighting the growing reliance on man-made snow due to reduced natural snowfall in certain regions.
Countries like Saudi Arabia are even investing in ski resorts with man-made lakes to overcome the lack of natural snow. In Switzerland, Alpine glaciers have lost a significant portion of their volume since 1850, indicating the profound impact of climate change on mountain regions. The WMO also pointed out that there has been a notable decrease in snowfall at lower altitudes, with the number of snowfall days decreasing by half since 1970.
The collaboration between FIS and the World Meteorological Organization underscores the urgency of addressing climate change to ensure the sustainability of winter sports. With the threat of dwindling snowfall and rising temperatures, stakeholders in the sports industry must work together to mitigate the impacts of climate change and secure the future of skiing and snowboarding for generations to come.
