In 2026, Italy will host the 25th Winter Olympics. The festivities will take place in both Milan and the ski-resort town of Cortina d’Ampezzo. With activities planned throughout the surrounding areas, the Italian government has kicked its Olympic preparations into overdrive. One such initiative is the "Dolomites Low Emission Zone", which stands to limit access to the mountainous region starting in 2024.
Italy’s South Tyrol, Trentino, Belluno, and Veneto provinces presented the plan in October, 2022. Under the proposal, authorities would limit access to the Dolomites by instituting a reservation system to reach the Pordoi, Gardena, Sella, and Campolongo passes by vehicle. Though officials cite the Milano Cortina Olympic Games as the initiative’s driving force, they also hope that the Dolomites Low Emission Zone has a lasting impact.
