Rising costs of climate change threaten to make skiing a less diverse, even more exclusive sport

Some resorts have launched diversity efforts to try to appeal to a wider community. Johannes Kroemer via Getty Images

Watching skiers compete almost entirely on artificially made snow at the 2022 Winter Olympics, we found it hard not to think about climate change and what it will mean for the future of the winter sports industry – and who will be able to participate.

Ski areas are increasingly reliant on extensive snowmaking operations to keep their slopes open as the planet warms. A few degrees of warming can mean more days of rain instead of snow and shorter seasons. That reduces the operators’ revenue and raises their costs.