Climate change and the Winter Olympics are colliding more and more strongly. What once seemed impossible – a lack of snow for winter’s most important sporting event – is now a real concern for athletes, organizers and millions of fans.
A clear example is Belgian biathlete Maya Cloetens, who, as she prepares for the upcoming Games in Milan-Cortina, can’t help but think about how the landscape where she trains is transforming. Near Grenoble, France, the evidence is visible: shorter winters, cooler temperatures and less constant snowfall. Grenoble was an Olympic venue in 1968, but today it no longer has the conditions that once made it a perfect place for snow sports.
Less snow, fewer venues: Olympic winter shrinks
Researchers warn that, with the Earth warming at a record pace, the number of venues capable of hosting a Winter Olympics with “reliable” weather will decrease dramatically.
In fact, of 93 mountain locations that have winter sports infrastructure today, only 52 would have adequate snow and temperatures by the 2050s.
And the number could go down even further – to 30 in the 2080s – depending on how much the world manages to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
This affects not only the Winter Olympics, but also the Paralympic Games, which are normally held two weeks later.
The problem is that March is getting too warm, which opens the door to calendar changes.
According to the analysis cited above, starting both events three weeks earlier could significantly increase the number of reliable venues for the Paralympics.
Venues at risk and artificial snow on the edge
It's a real concern
QuéOnnda.com
In addition, even historic venues may no longer be viable.
Places such as Chamonix, Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Sochi would not meet climate reliability criteria by 2050.
Other sites, such as Vancouver, Palisades Tahoe, Sarajevo or Oslo, are considered “climatically risky”.
Against this backdrop, artificial snow is no longer an extra resource:
It has become an essential tool.
It was first used at Winter Games in 1980, and in 2022 Beijing relied almost entirely on manufactured snow.
For Milano-Cortina, it is planned to produce millions of cubic meters of snow, which implies an enormous consumption of water and energy.
Here another key concern arises: artificial snow has limits.
It requires specific conditions and, in addition, demands resources that can aggravate the problem if clean sources are not used.
For Milano-Cortina, the electricity supply is promised to be 100% renewable, but water consumption remains gigantic:
The equivalent of nearly 380 Olympic-size swimming pools, stored in new high mountain reservoirs.
IOC moves: less spending and an uncertain future
For this reason, the International Olympic Committee(IOC) already requires reducing unnecessary construction and minimizing the use of water and electricity.
It is even suggested that in the future, sports, athletes or spectators could be reduced.
For the U.S. Hispanic community, this matters for one direct reason:
The Winter Olympics is a global event that will continue to grow, but its future will depend on urgent decisions.
The question is no longer whether there will be snow, but how winter sports will be sustained on a warmer planet.
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