The Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games are expected to generate close to 930,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent directly linked to the organisation of the event, with an additional 1.3 million tonnes associated with sponsorship agreements, according to the Olympics Torched report produced by the New Weather Institute in collaboration with Scientists for Global Responsibility. The combined impact is estimated to result in the future loss of 5.5 square kilometres of snow, an area equivalent to more than 3,000 Olympic-size ice hockey rinks.
The report is based on official sustainability data from the event and on a specific methodology designed to estimate so-called sponsorship-induced emissions, a factor that is not usually included in standard climate accounting. According to the analysis, the direct emissions projected for Milano Cortina 2026 place these Games within a range comparable to recent Winter Olympics, but the additional weight of commercial agreements with carbon-intensive sectors significantly increases the overall climate footprint.
The environmental footprint of the Winter Games
Of the 930,000 tonnes of CO₂ attributed to the organisation of the event, the largest share is linked to spectator travel, accounting for around 410,000 tonnes, or approximately 44 per cent of the total. This is followed by emissions related to Games planning and delivery, estimated at around 227,000 tonnes, and those associated with permanent infrastructure, which reach close to 290,000 tonnes, based on the latest available sustainability data.
Using climate models widely applied in scientific research, the report estimates that this volume of official emissions will, in the coming years, lead to the loss of approximately 2.3 square kilometres of snow cover in the northern hemisphere and more than 14 million tonnes of glacier ice. These are cumulative impacts that directly affect the natural environment on which winter sports depend and which intensify when additional indirect sources of emissions are taken into account.
Sponsorship and associated emissions
The study estimates that sponsorship agreements with three major companies from highly carbon-intensive sectors will induce an additional 1.3 million tonnes of CO₂, around 40 per cent more than the total official emissions of the event. The sponsorship agreement with Eni alone is associated with close to 700,000 tonnes, while agreements with Stellantis and ITA Airways are estimated to add approximately 450,000 and 150,000 tonnes respectively.
These induced emissions would result in an additional estimated loss of 3.2 square kilometres of snow and more than 20 million tonnes of glacier ice, bringing the combined impact of the Games and these sponsorships to 5.5 square kilometres of snow cover and more than 34 million tonnes of ice. The report highlights that this category of emissions is not yet included in standard climate accounting frameworks, despite its scale.
Mitigation measures and scope for action
The analysis also reviews measures that have contributed to emission reductions at recent Winter Olympic Games. Among the most effective are the reuse of existing venues and infrastructure, which has delivered savings of between 350,000 and 720,000 tonnes of CO₂ per edition, and the use of renewable energy, energy-efficient design and lower-impact materials, with additional reductions of up to 310,000 tonnes. In the case of Milano Cortina 2026, limiting the construction of new infrastructure has helped to contain the event’s structural emissions.
However, the report identifies two areas with significant scope for further improvement. The first concerns emissions linked to spectator air travel, which account for the largest share of the direct climate footprint. The second relates to the sponsorship model, as replacing agreements with high-carbon companies with lower-impact alternatives could generate savings of more than 1.4 million tonnes of CO₂, exceeding the reductions achieved through many operational measures to date.
Recommendations for the future of the Winter Games
Among its conclusions, the report argues that the International Olympic Committee and organising committees should end sponsorship agreements with fossil fuel companies, airlines and manufacturers of combustion-engine vehicles, replacing them with partners with a significantly lower climate footprint. It also recommends requiring sponsors to publish full emissions data, including so-called scope 3 emissions, which cover indirect emissions across a company’s entire value chain, such as the use of its products and the travel of customers and suppliers, and which typically represent the largest share of corporate climate impact.
The document notes that the Olympic movement’s past experience, such as the removal of tobacco sponsorship following the 1988 Winter Olympics, provides a precedent for addressing today’s climate challenges. In the context of Milano Cortina 2026 and future Winter Games hosts, the report positions the management of emissions and sponsorship as a central factor in the long-term viability of the Winter Olympics and of the sports that depend on snow and ice.
