The 2026 Winter Olympics Will Have a Major Impact on the Region’s Snow

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina are projected to result in the loss of 5.5 square kilometers of snowpack and 34 million metric tons of glacial ice, according to a January report by the New Weather Institute in collaboration with Scientists for Global Responsibility and Champions for Earth. The study highlights how the Games’ environmental toll is significantly amplified by the emissions from their three main sponsors—Italian energy giant Eni, automaker Stellantis, and ITA Airways—whose promotional activities are linked to increased sales of high-carbon products and services.

The report estimates that without the emissions tied to these sponsors, the loss would be far less: 2.3 square kilometers of snowpack and about 14 million metric tons of glacial ice. Eni alone is responsible for more than half of the additional emissions, followed by Stellantis and ITA Airways. The extra business generated by their Olympic involvement could lead to 1.3 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions—40 percent more than the Games’ direct footprint of roughly 930,000 metric tons. This translates to an additional 3.2 square kilometers of snowpack loss and over 20 million metric tons of glacial ice melt.

Eni contested the findings, calling them biased and emphasizing that over 90 percent of the fuels supplied for the Games come from renewable raw materials. ITA Airways highlighted its sustainability strategy, pointing to a newer, more fuel-efficient fleet and plans to adopt sustainable aviation fuels. The Milano Cortina 2026 Foundation declined to comment, and Stellantis did not respond to requests for clarification on its Olympic-related sustainability efforts.

The environmental stakes extend far beyond this single event. In the past five years, Italy has lost 265 ski resorts, France has seen more than 180 Alpine resorts close, and Switzerland has shuttered over 50 ski lifts and cable cars. Artificial snow is now essential to staging the Games, underscoring how winter sports are becoming increasingly rare as global temperatures rise.

A 2024 study commissioned by the International Olympic Committee found that of 93 locations with the infrastructure to host the Winter Olympics, only 52 will remain “climate-reliable” by the 2050s if emissions continue at current rates. By the 2080s, that number drops to just 46.

The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics are projected to cause the loss of 5.5 square kilometers of snowpack and 34 million metric tons of glacial ice.
Main sponsors Eni, Stellantis, and ITA Airways are linked to 40 percent more emissions than the Games’ direct footprint.
Without sponsor-related emissions, the loss would be 2.3 square kilometers of snowpack and 14 million metric tons of glacial ice.
Eni is responsible for more than half of the additional emissions from the top three sponsors.
Italy has lost 265 ski resorts in the past five years; France has lost over 180 Alpine resorts.
By the 2050s, only 52 of 93 potential Winter Olympics host locations will be “climate-reliable.”
Artificial snow is now essential for staging the Games.
ITA Airways emphasizes sustainability with a newer fleet and sustainable aviation fuel plans.
Eni claims over 90 percent of its Olympic fuels are from renewable raw materials.
The Games’ environmental impact raises questions about the future viability of winter sports.,