Ideal host cities for future Winter Olympics are dropping off the map. Fake snow won't be enough to help

"As Italy prepares for the 2026 Winter Olympics, a crucial part of the prep is the manufacturing of artificial snow; the Olympics organizing committee plans to make 2.4 million cubic meters of the stuff. The practice has become more and more common as climate change leads to warmer temperatures and less reliable snow packs. But as climate change worsens, artificial snow won't even be enough to help certain countries host the Winter Games."

"By mid-century, the number of countries that could potentially host the Winter Olympic Games could be cut nearly in half, according to a recent study from the University of Waterloo. Currently, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) says there are 93 potential host locations that have the winter sports infrastructure needed to host the games. That includes arenas for events like hockey and ice skating and areas for snow sports outside of a big city."

"If countries continue with their current climate policies, though, that number drops to 52 locations that would remain "climate-reliable" for the Winter Olympics by 2050, according to the study, which was published in the journal Current Issues in Tourism. For the Paralympics, which occur in March after the Olympics in February, the situation is even more dire: By 2050, there are only 22 potential host locations."

Italy plans to produce 2.4 million cubic meters of artificial snow for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Artificial snowmaking has expanded as warmer temperatures and less reliable snow packs reduce natural snowfall. Worsening climate conditions will outpace snowmaking in some regions, making many locations unsuitable for winter sports. The current pool of 93 potential host locations could fall to 52 climate-reliable locations by 2050 under present climate policies. Paralympic hosting options are forecast to decline more sharply, reaching only 22 potential locations by mid-century. Snowmaking requires cold, dry air, which will be increasingly unavailable in some places.

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