Facing a significant challenge in winter sports due to climate change, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation has joined forces with the United Nations weather agency in a new partnership. This collaboration, set to last for five years, aims to assist national ski federations, venues, and race organizers in improving their understanding of weather forecasting to effectively manage both natural and artificial snow. An online meeting is scheduled for November 7 to kick off this initiative.
Both organizations, based in Switzerland, highlighted the pressing issue of climate change impacting winter sports and tourism, leading to warmer temperatures. Last season, 26 out of 616 World Cup events organized by FIS had to be canceled across various disciplines such as Alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboard park and pipe, freestyle skiing, and ski jumping.
The World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General emphasized the broader implications of climate change, stating that ruined vacations and disrupted sports events are just the beginning of the challenges faced. FIS President Johan Eliasch acknowledged that climate change poses an existential threat to skiing and snowboarding.
As global temperatures continue to rise, the International Olympic Committee has warned that by 2040, only 10 countries may have a reliable climate outlook to host snow events during Winter Games. The 2022 Beijing Winter Games had to rely entirely on artificial snow for Alpine races due to the lack of natural snowfall in the region.
Notably, Saudi Arabia is developing a ski resort with a man-made lake near Project Neom and is gearing up to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games. In Switzerland, the federal weather office reported a significant loss of volume in Alpine glaciers since 1850, highlighting the impact of climate change on mountain regions.
The World Meteorological Organization pointed out that the decrease in snowfall days and the diminishing snow levels at lower altitudes are clear indicators of the changing climate. The organization also highlighted the direct consequences of thawing frozen ground in mountainous regions on infrastructure stability and carbon levels in the atmosphere.
With these alarming trends, the collaboration between FIS and the World Meteorological Organization signifies a crucial step towards addressing the challenges posed by climate change in winter sports.
