Europe’s ski industry is facing an uncertain future as warmer temperatures and unreliable snowfall force resorts to rethink their operations. With only weeks to go before the Winter Olympics open in Milan-Cortina, the Dolomites are blanketed in snow, but such conditions are increasingly rare for tourists and local skiers. Artificial snow is now the norm in many areas, but it comes with high economic and environmental costs that push ticket prices higher and make skiing less accessible.
The Winter Olympics and a Changing Climate
Even Italy’s famed Belluno region is feeling the impact of climate change. Snowfall is less frequent and temperatures are rising across the Alpine arc. The International Olympic Committee has acknowledged that global warming, driven largely by fossil fuel use, is affecting winter sports.
Since 1924, 21 locations have hosted the Winter Olympics. A 2021 study suggests that by 2050 only four of those locations Lake Placid, Lillehammer, Oslo, and Sapporo will still have reliable snow. In a worst-case scenario with a 4°C global temperature rise, almost all past Olympic sites will become unsuitable by 2050, leaving only Sapporo capable of hosting the Games by 2080. Even if the Paris Agreement’s 2°C target is met, only nine locations would remain viable in 2050.
Europe’s Winter Sports Economy Under Pressure
For those who depend on skiing for their livelihood, these challenges are immediate. Europe’s winter tourism sector generated roughly €180 billion in 2022, with the Alps at its center. The region is home to 80 million people and provides critical water resources and biodiversity. Germany has the most ski resorts in Europe, followed by Italy and France. Studies show that 53 percent of Europe’s 2,234 ski resorts are at high risk of low snow if warming reaches 2°C, with the French Alps and the Pyrenees particularly vulnerable. At a 4°C increase, nearly all resorts could lose reliable snow cover.
Rising Costs and Resource Challenges
Creating artificial snow strains water and energy resources. Making 30 centimeters of snow on a one-hectare slope requires roughly one million liters of water, comparable to the annual consumption of a city of 1.5 million people. Electricity is also needed to operate snowmaking equipment, increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Supplying the Alps with artificial snow would require 600 GWh, enough to power 130,000 four-person households for a year.
The cost of skiing is rising rapidly. Since 2015, ski expenses in Europe have grown by 34.8 percent, outpacing inflation, with the steepest increases in Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. For many visitors, major resorts are becoming unaffordable, raising questions about the long-term viability of winter tourism in a warming Europe.
