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Environment
Apr 20, 2026

Winter Olympics Face Climate and Cost Crisis as Snow Scarcity Looms

AI Summary
The article warns that climate change will leave only eight of the 21 past Winter Olympic hosts cold enough for future Games, while the Milano Cortina 2026 edition already faces a 40% carbon‑footprint increase and massive budget overruns. It examines the IOC’s revenue reliance on broadcasting, the financial strain on host cities, and proposes concrete sustainability reforms.

Climate Threats

By the end of the 21st century only 8 of the 21 former host cities will remain cold enough for reliable Games, according to climate projections. The Milano Cortina 2026 organisers already face artificial‑snow production, remote‑site transport and new‑infrastructure demands.

A petition to bar fossil‑fuel sponsors prompted Kirsty Coventry, IOC president, to say the body is “having conversations in order to be better”. The New Weather Institute estimates that sponsorship by Eni, Stellantis and ITA Airways will add 40% to the Games’ carbon footprint – enough to melt 3.2 km² of snow and 20 million tonnes of glacier ice.

Financial Overruns

Research by Alexander Budzier and Bent Flyvbjerg shows every Olympics since 1960 exceeded budget forecasts, with an average overrun of 159% (Winter Games 132%, Summer 195%). Milano Cortina 2026 has already spent $1.7 bn, surpassing the original $1.3 bn estimate, plus an extra $3.5 bn in public infrastructure investment.

Typical contingency buffers of 10‑15% are insufficient; optimism bias and under‑estimated inflation have become systemic.

IOC Revenue Structure

Between 2017‑2020/21 the IOC generated $7.6 bn in revenue, 91% of which came from broadcasting and sponsorship rights. The same share applied to 2013‑2016, indicating limited flexibility to shift funding away from high‑carbon activities.

Spectator travel accounts for 410,000 of the estimated 930,000 tonnes CO₂e for Milano Cortina 2026.

Proposed Solutions

  • Introduce a geographical ticket‑price contingency to discourage long‑haul travel.
  • Spread events across multiple locations to reuse existing venues and cut travel.
  • Adopt stricter, transparent sustainability metrics – reviving a more rigorous version of the abandoned Olympic Games Impact (OGI) framework.
  • Prioritise media‑centric revenue while reducing high‑carbon tourism.

Professor Martin Müller defines a sustainable sports event as one that “minimises ecological impact, promotes social wellbeing, ensures economic viability and implements accountable governance”. His team is building a 1990‑2024 database to benchmark future Games.