Top Olympic skiers have raised alarm over shrinking glaciers during the Winter Games in Cortina.
Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin say they have witnessed dramatic ice loss firsthand.
Italian champion Federica Brignone shares the concern.
Italy has lost more than 200 square kilometres of glacier area since the late 1950s.
Glaciologist Antonella Senese says the decline has accelerated in recent decades.
Glaciers near Cortina have shrunk sharply, with some reduced to small ice patches.
Skiers train on glaciers for reliable snow conditions.
A warming climate now threatens both training grounds and competition venues.
Vonn said many glaciers she used as a child have nearly disappeared.
Shiffrin described athletes as having a “front-row view” of climate change.
About 50 kilometres away lies the Marmolada glacier, one of Italy’s largest.
It lost half its mass in 25 years and could largely vanish within a decade if warming continues.
Scientists say limiting global heating to 1.5°C could preserve more Alpine ice.
Globally, more than 6.5 trillion tonnes of glacier ice have disappeared since 2000.
Athletes warn that the future of winter sports depends on cutting emissions now.
Many believe their sport stands on a dangerous path unless urgent action is taken.
