The use of space technologies and data to improve environmental sustainability in snow sports is the focus of a new agreement between the European Space Agency and International Ski and Snowboard Federation.

Sustainability, Snow Sports and Space

Climate change poses an existential threat to skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports. The US ski industry has lost more than five billion dollars over the past two decades due to human-caused global heating, and more than half of Europe’s resorts are at ‘high risk’ of snow-scarcity by 2100.

The winter sports industry has an imperative to act on sustainability to secure its long-term future. Technologies from human spaceflight such as satellite communication, navigation and observation have been identified as ways to support the management of sports competitions. That support extends to improving environmental sustainability, event safety and facility management.

The connection between sustainability and sport is becoming increasingly important, believes Davide Coppola, head of ESA’s Space Applications Initiatives Section. Speaking about the newly announced partnership with FIS, he said it “not only fosters innovation, but also has the potential to make a substantial impact on the broader events industry.”

ESA and FIS Partnership Focus

The memorandum of intent is part of ESA’s business applications and space solutions program, which uses space technology to solve challenges on earth. It will focus on deforestation prevention, biodiversity protection, carbon emissions reduction, circular economy and resilience.

Athlete performance, safety and security around events, and recreational snow sports experiences are anticipated future topics referenced within the FIS memorandum that space applications could help address.

ESA brings “the highest level of human knowledge and technology to our common mission of making the world – and snow sports, for that matter – much more sustainable,” said FIS sustainability director Susanna Sieff.

Space Applications For Sport

This is not the first time the space agency has connected the application of their technology to sport. Previous partnerships have been inked with European Platform for Sports Innovation, beginning in 2022, and UEFA from 2023.

The ongoing collaboration with UEFA has a sustainability-focussed element. It aims to understand the potential of space technologies to advance social and environmental solutions in European soccer, as well as crowd movement around stadiums and mapping pitches.