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The "Climate.Sport.Snow" Expert Forum examines the future of snow sports from the perspective of the D-A-CH region in the context of global climate change—with a scientific foundation, a practical focus, and a forward-looking perspective.

Climate protection and adaptation to climate change are among the major social, economic, and technological challenges facing our society, with global implications. In this context, winter sports—both in their tourism and elite athletic forms—are inextricably linked to the changing conditions caused by climate change and the uncertainties in predicting them. Despite steady progress in climate research, many questions remain unanswered, particularly regarding expected developments at the local and regional levels. Against this backdrop, the Klima.Sport.Schnee Expert Forum offers an interdisciplinary platform for exchange, the findings of which are documented in an ongoing series of position papers. In total, more than 20 authors from 14 scientific institutions are contributing to the forum, thereby helping to present the current state of research from their respective disciplines and perspectives.

3. Joint Position Paper: “The Future of Winter and Mountain Sports in the Context of Global Climate Change” (Revised Edition 06/2025)

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Key Questions Discussed:

  • What are the causes of the more pronounced global warming in the mountainous regions of Central Europe and other parts of Europe compared to the global trend?
  • How reliable are climate forecasts and projections for the winter climate in Central Europe for the coming decades and the distant future (through 2100)?
  • How will sports, tourism, and recreation in mountain regions need to adapt to climate change-induced shifts in winter and summer climates in the future?
  • How do the expected changes in snow cover duration and depth vary spatially in Germany’s low mountain ranges and the Alpine region?
  • What impacts of climate change can be expected with regard to artificial snowmaking as well as water, energy, and snow management (e.g., slope preparation and snow storage) in Alpine ski resorts?
  • What evidence-based strategies and measures for adapting to climate change and for climate protection are recommended?

Download the position paper 

Download the English version 

Participating researchers and institutions:

  • Dr. Andreas Becker – German Weather Service (DWD), Department of Hydrometeorology
  • PD Dr. Andrea Fischer – Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research, Innsbruck (IGF, Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW))
  • Dr. Lea Hartl – Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research Innsbruck (IGF), Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW)
  • Dr. Sven Kotlarski – Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology (MeteoSwiss)
  • Prof. Dr. Harald Kunstmann – KIT-Campus Alpin, Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, and the University of Augsburg
  • Prof. Dr. Michael Lehning – WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), Snow Processes Research Group, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne
  • Dr. Christoph Marty – WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF)
  • Gudrun Mühlbacher – German Weather Service, Munich Regional Climate Office
  • Dr. Marc Olefs – Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG), Climate Research Department
  • Hansueli Rhyner – WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF), Industrial Projects and Snow Sports Research Group
  • Prof. Dr. Ralf Roth – German Sport University Cologne (DSHS), Institute for Outdoor Sports and Environmental Research, Board Member of the Foundation for Safety in Skiing and Snowboarding (SIS), Chair of the Expert Forum
  • Michael Rothleitner – Tyrol Snow Center
  • Dr. Erwin Rottler – University of Innsbruck, Institute of Geography
  • Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Schmid – KIT Campus Alpin, Institute for Meteorology and Climate Researc Technical University of Munich
  • Prof. Dr. Ulrich Strasser – University of Innsbruck, Institute of Geography
  • Dr. Marc Zebisch – Center for Climate Research and Transformation – Eurac Research, Bolzano
  • Dr. Karl-Friedrich Ziegahn - Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Division IV: Natural and Built Environment
Zwei Wissenschaftler diskutieren im Dialog über eine Graphik zur Klimaentwicklung