WMO collaboration aims to highlight the negative impact of climate change on winter sports
The two organizations are teaming up to call attention to it far-reaching impacts on rising global temperatures on snow and ice while also introducing measures to strengthen dialogues related to science and sports.
The partnership is expected to commence before winter 2024/2025 and will initially last for five years.
‘The tip of the iceberg’
WMO Secretary General Celeste Saulo said climate change affects winter sports and tourism just “the tip of the iceberg” when affected.
“Retreating glaciers, reduced snow cover and melting permafrost are having a major impact on mountain ecosystems.communities and economies and will have increasingly severe consequences at the local, national and global levels for centuries to come,” Ms. Saulo said.
Echoing this statement, FIS President Johan Eliasch said, “The climate crisis is clear much bigger than FIS − or sport, for that matter: it is a true crossroads for humanity” but notes that the effects on sports are already clear.
From 2023 to 2024, FIS had to cancel 26 out of 616 races at the World Cup due to weather.
“It would be remiss not to pursue every possible endeavor rooted in science and objective analysis,” Mr. Eliasch said.
winter effect
Several studies have shown how climate change has affected winter tourism and sports, including one conducted in Switzerland which found that Alpine glaciers have lost 60 years. % volume since 1850.
A separate study found winters are getting warmer and, according to Swiss climate change studies, zero degrees will be reached much higher on the slopes – at around 1,300 to 1,500 degrees. meters above sea level in 2060. Fifty years ago, the freezing level stood at about 600 meters.
Every year, the WMO and FIS will identify the measures to be taken, starting in a few weeks on November 7 when they host a webinar for national ski associations on the impact of heat events globally for the entire industry.
