Across Europe, warmer winters and unreliable snowfall are forcing ski resorts to rethink how they survive. While some slopes are still blanketed in snow, much of it is increasingly artificial, bringing rising costs and difficult environmental trade-offs that are reshaping winter tourism.
With the Winter Olympics set to open in Milan–Cortina on 6 February, the famous Dolomites look picture-perfect for now. But conditions like these are becoming less predictable, even in the Alps’ most iconic destinations.
Winter sports under pressure from a warming climate
Climate change is already making itself felt across the Alpine region, where higher temperatures and shorter winters are becoming the norm. Natural snowfall is often limited to higher elevations, and even there, ski seasons now depend heavily on artificial snowmaking.
The International Olympic Committee has acknowledged the threat climate change poses to winter sports. Research published in 2021 found that of the 21 locations that have hosted the Winter Olympics since 1924, only four would remain reliable hosts by the middle of the century if global warming continues unchecked. In a worst-case scenario, where global temperatures rise by 4°C, just one former host city — Sapporo in Japan — would still have suitable conditions by 2080.
Even if the Paris Agreement target of limiting warming to 2°C is met, only a handful of former Olympic venues would still be viable by 2050. The implications go far beyond elite sport, affecting everyday livelihoods in mountain regions.
Europe’s reliance on ski tourism
Winter tourism is a major economic engine in Europe, generating around €180 billion in 2022. The Alps sit at the heart of this industry, supporting communities across Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, Liechtenstein, and beyond. Around 80 million people live in the wider Alpine region, which also plays a crucial role in Europe’s water supply and biodiversity.
Germany leads Europe in the number of ski resorts, followed by Italy and France. But a 2023 study warned that more than half of Europe’s 2,234 ski resorts are already at very high risk of snow shortages under a 2°C warming scenario. In the French Alps, roughly one in three resorts could become unviable, while in the Pyrenees, nearly nine out of ten face serious trouble.
If temperatures rise by 4°C, almost all European ski resorts would struggle to rely on consistent snow, threatening the survival of entire local economies.
Artificial snow, rising costs, and difficult choices
To keep slopes open, resorts are turning to artificial snow, but this comes at a steep price. Producing enough snow to cover just one hectare of slope can require at least one million litres of water. Scaling that up across entire resorts puts enormous pressure on local water supplies, especially in regions already facing drought.
Snowmaking also consumes vast amounts of electricity. Supplying artificial snow across Alpine resorts would require an estimated 600 gigawatt-hours of energy each year — roughly the annual consumption of 130,000 households. This adds to greenhouse gas emissions, feeding the very problem resorts are trying to manage.
These costs are increasingly passed on to visitors. Since 2015, the price of skiing in Europe has risen by nearly 35 percent, far outpacing inflation. Switzerland, Austria, and Italy have seen the sharpest increases, pushing ski holidays out of reach for many families.
As snow becomes less reliable and costs continue to climb, Europe’s ski industry faces a pivotal moment. Resorts must now decide whether to double down on artificial solutions or rethink their future altogether in a warming world.
