Rising temperatures and unreliable snowfall are forcing ski resorts across Europe to rethink how they operate. With the Winter Olympics set to open in Milan-Cortina on 6 February, the Dolomites are currently covered in snow, but this is becoming less common. Many resorts now rely on artificial snow to keep slopes open, a process that is expensive, environmentally demanding, and often drives up the cost of ski passes. For everyday skiers, hitting the slopes is becoming harder to afford and less predictable.
Climate Change and the Winter Olympics
Even Italy’s famed Belluno region is feeling the effects of global warming. Snowfall is becoming rarer and temperatures are rising across the Alps. The International Olympic Committee has acknowledged that climate change, driven mainly 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 rise in global temperatures, almost all past Olympic sites will become unsuitable by 2050, leaving only Sapporo able to host by 2080. Even if the Paris Agreement limit of 2°C is met, only nine Olympic locations would remain viable in 2050.
The Economic Impact on European Resorts
For people who rely on skiing for their livelihood, these changes are a daily concern. Europe’s winter tourism industry generated roughly €180 billion in 2022, with the Alps at its center. The region is home to 80 million people and plays a critical role in Europe’s water resources and biodiversity. Germany has the most ski resorts in Europe, followed by Italy and France. Studies show that more than half of Europe’s 2,234 ski resorts face a high risk of low snow if warming reaches 2°C. In the French Alps and the Pyrenees, the outlook is even worse. At a 4°C increase, nearly all resorts could lose reliable snow.
Rising Costs and Environmental Strain
Artificial snow production places heavy demands on water and energy. Producing 30 centimeters of snow on a one-hectare slope requires roughly one million liters of water, equivalent to the yearly consumption of a city of 1.5 million people. Snow cannons also require electricity, adding greenhouse gas emissions to an already worsening climate crisis. Meeting the artificial snow needs of all Alpine resorts would require 600 GWh, enough to power 130,000 four-person households for a year.
These costs are reflected in the price of skiing. Since 2015, the average cost of skiing in Europe has risen 34.8 percent, well above inflation, with the steepest increases in Switzerland, Austria, and Italy. For many visitors, major ski resorts are becoming increasingly unaffordable, raising concerns about the long-term future of winter tourism in a warming Europe.
