UN and global ski federation sign climate change agreement

The UN and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) plan to join forces to draw attention to the effects of climate change on winter sports. On Thursday, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the FIS, which are both based in Switzerland, signed an agreement to this effect. As part of the agreement, the organisations plan a collaboration between WMO scientists and winter sports enthusiasts, according to a WMO press release. + Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Last season, some 5% of FIS competitions fell victim to the weather. “Canceled winter holidays and sporting events are – quite literally – just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to climate change,” WMO Secretary General Celeste Saulo said in the press release. According to Saulo, the retreat of glaciers and the reduction in snow and ice cover are already having a major impact on ecosystems, populations and the economy in affected regions. Faced with this threat to skiing and ...