– I think it’s a shame. It is only so far from the truth. In my head I see an opportunity to be able to do it differently, says Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. The Norwegian alpine star is one of several who have recently spoken about the challenges linked to the strong climate impact of winter sports. In a recent survey, news was able to tell that Norwegian winter sports athletes release 1,600 tonnes of CO₂ annually in connection with travel related to competition and training. PROFILE: Aleksander Aamodt Kilde thinks the climate footprint of Norwegian athletes is a shame. Here from the World Cup opening in Sölden earlier this winter. Photo: AFP The climbers come out worst. They have an annual emission of 29 tonnes of CO₂ per athlete. The average Norwegian’s emissions from travel are 2.2 tonnes. On Saturday, climate in winter sports and protesters became a hot topic during a slalom race in Gurgl in Austria. Demonstrators entered the finish area during the race and spread a colored powder over the snow. Henrik Kristoffersen was in awe of the demonstration. – It is so disrespectful. Say what you want, vote and try to change things from there, but don’t ruin it for people. It is completely on the nose, said Kristoffersen, among others. The alpinists’ climate footprint has received a lot of attention, and several of them have spoken to news pointing to the extensive race calendar as the biggest problem. Now they want change. – We are dissatisfied – There have been very, very high temperatures around the alpine calendar for the past two years, says Claus Ryste. He is sports manager for the Norwegian alpine national team and also sits on the alpine committee of the International Ski Federation (FIS). He also believes that the calendar as it is today and has been in recent years creates a problem. – In terms of travel, the calendar is too busy today. One is the CO2 emissions, but there are also other things, such as the burden on employees who have to move a lot of equipment and travel very far in very short deadlines and restitution for the athletes who will participate. It is a picture of health that makes us dissatisfied with the calendar, says Ryste. DIRECTOR OF SPORTS: Claus Ryste believes that today’s race program for the alpine slopes creates problems for both the climate and the athletes. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB Ryste understands that it is not so easy to change the calendar. – When you are going to try to change something, you have to respect the complexity, both when it comes to TV channels, the various nations and great classics that we cannot move on. Because we depend on such things. But I am completely convinced that it is possible to make changes. – I don’t think the plenum will agree on that calendar. Because there is a battle between the nations and the continents to get the most races possible, and there are TV rights that are sold far in advance, says Ryste. This is what the world cup calendar for the male speed racers looked like in 2022. There they traveled across the Atlantic several times during the same season. The calendar for the 2023 season has been adjusted. This season there is only one trip to North America for the speed racers. From 28 November to 3 December they are in Beaver Creek in the USA. They are in Europe for the rest of the season. Open for cuts Before the season starts, however, the Norwegian alpine national teams travel to countries such as Chile and New Zealand to prepare. Aleksander Aamodt Kilde says that they do it because they have to, but that another solution would have been ideal. – It is the FIS that lays out a program which means that we must be ready at the beginning of November. Where do you go skiing before the start of November? There are very few places. Then you have to travel to where the snow and winter are, and that’s why we travel to New Zealand and Chile, says Kilde, and continues: – If there was another possibility, another place to train, it would be very good. Working with nature and skiing when there is snow in the mountains in Europe, says Kilde. STAR: Aleksander Aamodt Kilde is one of the best speed racers in the world. Photo: Alessandro Trovati / AP Sports manager Ryste says they are open to cutting the season warm-up trips to Chile or New Zealand. – It is not completely unthinkable, but it must be replaced with something else. Then the deadline list has to start a little later than October and that kind of thing. Because there are too few alternatives as it is now. But Anja Bakken Riise, leader of the environmental organization Framtiden i våre hands, is sure of her case: Winter sports must change their travel habits. – Here the Ski Association must think again. We are in 2023. It is not possible to continue with a practice where you have to travel across the globe two or more times a year. This results in enormous climate impacts. Several of the alpine stations have spoken to news about whether the race calendar is in favor of a change to the calendar. See what they say here: Johann Groder / AFP Ragnhild Mowinckel – We have told the FIS that we can have a more streamlined season, which means that there will be less travel for us as well. I think it is possible to manage and push through that there will be less travel. You don’t want to be the worst when it comes to climate. NTB Rasmus Windingstad – It is FIS that controls our calendar. It would have been better if you kept it in a certain area over a long period and then the whole gang moved. Run several races in the USA and then several races in Europe instead of it going all over the world. Then you have avoided a lot of travel. Erik Flaaris Johansen / NTB Mina Fürst Holtmann – I think it’s very sad, because we all do something that we love to do, and then it’s harmful to the environment. It’s a great shame. I believe and hope that we will try to become more carbon neutral. We must try to do our best to lower it as much as possible. NTB Thea Louise Stjernesund – I think there are many opportunities to improve and reduce emissions. And there I think the calendar can have a lot to say. The way one is forced to travel, there is a lot to pick up. You just have to find the possibilities. Lars Thomas Nordby / news Aleksander Aamodt Source. – I think we have to be a bit smart and try to get them to work and understand the consequences of the season starting in October. FIS has postponed the start of the season by one or two weeks, but you can see that it is too little. I think it’s a bit of a shame. Susanna Sieff, director of sustainability at FIS, has previously told news that it is not so easy to change the season, but points out that they have already made some changes. Among other things, they have forests at the start of the season with one week. Next season they hope to increase him by two weeks. – It is not just taking a map and creating a calendar with the aim of reducing travel. It is a combination of several things, she says. Sieff highlights factors such as stakeholders, the skiing community in general, low and high season, TV channels and the public. Sieff, who started her job as resource director in July earlier this year, says she will use this season’s calendar to collect data and then start working from that. The same plan is held by Ola Keül, responsible for capacity building at the Ski Association. RESPONSIBLE FOR SUSTAINABILITY: Ola Keül will collect climate data throughout the season to look at the climate footprint of the alpine slopes. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB – I can’t point out which flights are going away right now, but the extensive mapping we have done is a good starting point to see how we can reduce our own emissions, he says, and continues : – The national team’s own travel business is a consequence of the international World Cup calendar and the sporting plan we must have in order to keep up. But Keül is clear that Norway will continue to be a skin nation, and that now, with a full overview of the spill in the box, they want to work for change. – Going forward, we will continue to challenge ourselves, but also challenge politicians and decision-makers on what we think needs to be done. We must continue to be a skin nation, he says. Bringing encouragement Anja Bakken Riise from Framtiden i vår hans says she sympathizes with Kilde and the other alpinists and that the strong climate impact the athletes left behind is not their fault. – It’s completely crazy. There are such high emissions. – But these athletes are on the same level as you and me. They live in a system that is largely rigged for activities that are responsible for large climate emissions. In the same way as it is today for most people. It shouldn’t be that way, but that’s how it is. Then we shouldn’t put so much blame on the individuals, but rather point the finger at those who can change the system, says Riise. REACTS: Anja Bakken Riise reacts to the climate footprint of the Norwegian athletes according to news’s survey. Photo: Mariam Butt / NTB – If you were to give Claus Ryste an encouragement, what would it be? – It is to set clear climate targets in line with the Paris Agreement and create a credible plan for how to get there. We won’t get there without traveling considerably less by plane. It requires planning and thinking differently. Feel free to join forces with other countries to find joint solutions, and better planning of the transport and travel calendar, says Riise. To that Ryste replies: – We have a responsibility and we must take responsibility. And then I think clear goals must be set. It is the only way to reach the goal. But we have to spend some time to do it in a healthy way. So not just a patch on this one part. There has to be a resilience mindset, and I think the most important thing now is that there is so much change in that we know how much we let out, how much responsibility we have to take for it and that it should be delayed. And that will perhaps help to do the job of finding solutions that take care of both that and the sports doctor.
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