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

The 2026 Winter Olympics are projected to significantly impact the region’s snowpack and glacial ice, with an estimated loss of 5.5 square kilometers of snowpack and 34 million metric tons of glacial ice. A report from the New Weather Institute, in collaboration with Scientists for Global Responsibility and Champions for Earth, highlights that while the Games themselves generate considerable carbon emissions (about 930,000 metric tons), the emissions linked to three main sponsors—Italian energy company Eni, automaker Stellantis, and ITA Airways—could increase the overall footprint substantially. The sponsors’ involvement is estimated to cause an additional 1.3 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions, leading to further loss of 3.2 square kilometers of snowpack and over 20 million metric tons of glacial ice. This suggests that the Olympics may be accelerating the decline of winter sports by contributing to climate change. The report specifically points to Eni as responsible for over half of the emissions from