The IOC may limit the number of venues where the Winter Olympics will be held

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) may reduce the list of potential candidates for hosting the Winter Olympic Games due to climate change in the world, said the head of the IOC commission for choosing the hosts of the Winter Olympics, Karl Stoss.

According to research by University of Waterloo professor Daniel Scott and University of Innsbruck associate professor Robert Steiger, which the IOC relies on, of the 93 mountain regions with the infrastructure to host winter sports competitions, only 52 have the required snow depth and temperatures low enough to be able to organize the Winter Olympics in the 2050s. By the 2080s, this number may decrease to 30, this is influenced by the dynamics of reducing carbon dioxide emissions on the planet.

The IOC is considering creating a “permanent pool” of suitable venues and rotating them, Stoss said, as quoted by The Associated Press. It’s also possible the Olympics will be held earlier in the season as March becomes too warm for the Paralympics.

He also noted that the IOC requires host countries to minimize water and electricity consumption and avoid unnecessary construction. Ultimately, the number of sports, athletes and spectators attending the Games will have to be reduced, Stoss admits.

The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo from February 6 to 22.