United States Olympic athletes Mikaela Shiffrin, Jessie Diggins and Travis Ganong are among the nearly 200 winter sports specialists calling on the International Ski and Snowboard Federation to do more to combat climate change.
In an open letter dated Feb. 14, the athletes describe how environmental changes are affecting their sports, and note that event cancellations are becoming more common as more weather-related disruptions arise.
“We are already experiencing the effects of climate change in our everyday lives and our profession,” the letter says.
It’s also becoming more common for members of the public to question whether skiing and snowboarding events should go on, the athletes wrote.
“The public opinion about skiing is shifting towards unjustifiability,” the letter says.
The athletes urge the International Ski and Snowboard Federation to “lead in the fight against climate change” and take “progressive organizational action.”
More specifically, the letter urges the federation to:
- Commit to being climate neutral by 2035.
- Create a sustainability strategy outlining how to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030.
- Create a sustainability department within the organization.
- Commit to full transparency.
In an addendum, the athletes also ask the International Ski and Snowboard Federation to:
- Adjust the timing of the season to account for shifting weather patterns.
- Change the order of events to reduce travel.
- Empower national federations to make climate-smart decisions.
- Make events more climate-friendly by, for example, improving public transit options for spectators.
- Get involved in political debates related to environmental challenges.
- Educate officials, athletes and coaches, as well as the public, about sustainability.
Many of the letter’s signatories have previously shared their concerns about climate change in media interviews. Shiffrin, for example, has said that she’s started thinking about sustainability as she plans her competition schedule.
“I actually struggle with the fact that this sport requires so much travel,” Shiffrin said in early February, according to NBC Sports. “I feel like there’s going to be a point in my career where I maybe stop just because ... I can’t be taking this travel for granted and contributing so much to our global carbon footprint.”
She added that her sport, alpine skiing, relies on consistent weather, which can no longer be taken for granted.
“It’s like the environment telling us it is super temperamental and angry. And that we’ve done something very wrong,” Shiffrin said.
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation has not yet responded to the letter, according to The Associated Press.