Over 400 Olympians urge incoming IOC president to take bold climate action

But in recent years, the Olympics have also become a stage for another reality—the growing impacts of climate change. Rising temperatures and shrinking snowfall are making it increasingly difficult to host the world’s biggest sporting event, and athletes across the globe are raising their voices in alarm.

A Call to Action for the Olympics

The Olympics, as we know them, are at risk. Increasingly severe environmental conditions are disrupting competitions and impacting the countries that make up the Olympic community. Recurring storms, floods, droughts, and wildfires are limiting opportunities for training and altering participation rates, particularly for small-island nations. As these threats to training schedules, competition planning, and performance escalate, athletes have been compelled to sign an open letter urging the next President of the IOC to take decisive action to ensure the Olympics remain accessible and safe for generations to come.

Many of these athletes come from some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions, including small-island nations like the Bahamas, Cabo Verde, Fiji, and Samoa, as well as countries experiencing significant environmental challenges like Colombia, Kenya, Laos, Pakistan, and Zambia.

“Here in Kenya and around the world, we’re already experiencing the harsh realities of climate change, from extreme weather to rising temperatures,” said Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa’s 100m record holder. “We can’t afford to wait. Protecting our planet must be a top priority so that both athletes and communities can thrive in a cleaner, more sustainable world.”

The Impact of Climate on the Summer Olympics

Tokyo 2020 serves as a notable example of the extreme conditions Olympians are increasingly facing. The Games, which were the hottest on record, saw temperatures climb above 34°C with humidity around 70%. It’s no surprise that an estimated one in 100 athletes suffered from heat-related illnesses during competition. The intense heat led tennis player Daniil Medvedev to tell an umpire, “I can finish the match, but I can die. If I die, who will take responsibility?”

Hot weather impacts athletic performance in both subtle and severe ways—disrupting sleep, accelerating dehydration, and increasing the risk of illness and injury. During physical activity, the body naturally generates heat. When combined with prolonged exposure to high temperatures and humidity, this can lead to heat cramps, exhaustion, or even heatstroke. Not just athletes, but officials, volunteers, and spectators are at risk, especially during long outdoor events.

A 2023 report warns that temperatures during the Games are now 3.1°C higher than in 1924, with dangerous heatwaves becoming more likely. By 2050, former Summer Games host cities like Tokyo, Beijing, Athens, Seoul, Rome, and Barcelona could be too hot to safely host the Olympics. Additionally, at least half of the cities bidding for the 2036 Summer Olympics could face temperatures that exceed safe limits.

Winter Olympics on Thin Ice

As global temperatures rise, the Winter Olympics are also facing challenges, with unreliable snowfall and shorter winters making outdoor competitions harder. This is drastically reducing the number of potential host locations, and the IOC has warned that only 10 countries will have the right climate to host by 2040.

For many winter athletes, this issue is deeply personal. Elana Meyers Taylor, five-time Olympic Medallist in bobsleigh for the US, shared her concerns: “As a winter Olympian and a mother of two, I feel so strongly that the next IOC President must prioritize care for the planet, ensuring that the sports we love—and the winter landscapes that make them possible—are preserved.”

The 2022 Beijing Olympics were the first to rely entirely on artificial snow, which is both costly and unsustainable. Producing artificial snow requires vast amounts of water and energy, placing local ecosystems under significant strain. As the Milano-Cortina 2026 Games approach, these concerns will come into sharper focus. Temperatures are rising faster in the European Alps than in many other regions, and 90% of ski slopes in Italy now depend on artificial snow. Calculations suggest the annual water consumption needed to maintain Italy’s Alpine pistes could soon match that of a city with a population of one million people.

Artificial snow is only a temporary fix, not a long-term solution. The next IOC President will need to collaborate with host cities and athletes to develop ambitious strategies that ensure the viability of the Winter Games.

A New Gold Standard

The IOC carries a significant responsibility when it comes to addressing climate change. The Games’ carbon footprint is enormous, largely due to travel by fans, athletes, journalists, and organizers, which accounts for almost two-thirds of total Olympic CO2 emissions.

For instance, the 2022 Olympics had an estimated carbon footprint of 17,175 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, with 72.3% stemming from business travel, 8.9% from freight, 5.2% from employee commuting, 4.5% from accommodation, 4.2% from energy use in buildings and vehicles, 2.5% from food and beverages, and 1.6% from uniforms.

In major sporting events, travel typically accounts for about 85% of total emissions. Under outgoing President Thomas Bach, the IOC committed to halving carbon emissions by 2030. But athletes are calling for even bolder measures, including stricter standards on high-polluting sponsors.

Some experts argue that the preservation of the Olympics requires a complete reimagining—reducing international travel, decentralizing events, or rotating between a smaller number of sustainable host cities. Whether these options are feasible remains a topic of debate. Regardless, the next IOC president faces a historic opportunity to shape the future of the Games.

A Chance for Leadership

This challenge is not insurmountable; rather, it presents an opportunity to lead and transform the Olympics into a beacon of sustainability. Athletes have made their stance clear: climate action must be prioritized.

“The Olympics have held and fulfilled the dreams of so many over its history,” said Hannah Mills, double Olympic champion sailor and IOC Sustainability Ambassador. “But I can’t have any bigger dream than a future in which my children can thrive.”