WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo stated that the effects of climate change on winter sports and tourism represent only “the tip of the iceberg” regarding its overall impact.
“Melting glaciers, decreasing snow and ice coverage, and thawing permafrost are significantly affecting mountain ecosystems, communities, and economies, and these issues will have increasingly severe consequences at local, national, and global levels for centuries to come,” Ms. Saulo explained.
FIS President Johan Eliasch echoed this sentiment, remarking, “The climate crisis is undoubtedly much larger than FIS—or sports in general; it represents a genuine crossroads for humanity.” He also noted that the impacts on sports are already apparent.
Between 2023 and 2024, FIS was forced to cancel 26 out of 616 World Cup races due to adverse weather conditions.
“We would be neglecting our responsibility if we didn’t pursue every possible effort grounded in scientific evidence and objective analysis,” Mr. Eliasch added.
Numerous studies have highlighted how climate change is affecting winter sports and tourism, including a Swiss study revealing that Alpine glaciers have lost 60 percent of their volume since 1850.
Another study indicated that winters are becoming progressively warmer, with Swiss climate research predicting that zero-degree temperatures will be reached at significantly higher elevations—around 1,300 to 1,500 meters above sea level—by 2060, compared to about 600 meters fifty years ago.
Each year, the WMO and FIS will identify measures to be taken, beginning with a webinar for national ski associations on November 7, which will address the impact of global warming on the entire industry.
