November 20, 2025 Global winter sports leaders gather for climate action summit

The Ski Industry Climate Summit returns January 2026 in Bolzano, where industry leaders will align on climate action and circular solutions.

The international ski and winter sports industry will gather for the third edition of the Ski Industry Climate Summit, taking place January 13–15, 2026, at Fiera Bolzano in northern Italy. The event will run alongside the Prowinter Show, creating an anchor for dialogue on climate, policy and circular solutions.

As warming temperatures continue to alter snowfall patterns and shorten winter seasons, the call for structural change in the sector is mounting. The summit aims to serve as a shared space for open discussion, applied learning and coordinated action across brands, resorts, suppliers, federations and NGOs.

Organized by Atomic, Protect Our Winters Europe and the Winter Sports Sustainability Network, the summit has become a key venue for the ski industry’s climate response.

From brand initiative to cross-sector platform

Launched in 2023 as a brand-led event, the summit has expanded into a broad, cross-sector gathering. It brings together ski and snowboard manufacturers, gear brands, sports federations, resorts, retailers and infrastructure providers to share strategies and accelerate progress toward a more resilient winter sports model.

“Brands, resorts and sports federations work together to create an inspiring winter experience,” said Jonas Schneider of Protect Our Winters Europe.

“That same collective spirit is needed now to make real progress on climate. The summit is where this can happen.”

He is joined by Jérôme Pero, Secretary General of the Federation of the European Sporting Goods Industry (FESI), who highlights the summit’s strategic importance:

“This is more than a conference. It’s where the winter sports industry defines its future. Newcomers will find essential updates on policy, access to innovators and decision-makers, and real opportunities for growth. No one can solve these challenges alone.”

Agenda highlights regulation, circularity and collaboration

The summit opens on January 13 with closed-door technical working groups hosted by WSN. These will address key topics including ecodesign, recycling, life cycle assessment, traceability and climate advocacy.

The main conference, held January 14–15, will feature panels and case studies around four thematic areas:

• Regulatory change: new rules and compliance in the European Union and United States.
• Market perspectives: industry trends and the economic effects of climate disruption.
• Industry progress: examples of collaboration and circular innovation in materials, design and business models.
• Shared challenges: operational and environmental issues where collective action has the greatest potential for impact.

Evening networking events and open discussion sessions will support exchange between sectors and encourage alignment on goals.

Aligning the sector for measurable climate progress

By anchoring around shared priorities, the summit seeks to support coordinated climate action across the winter sports value chain – from emissions reductions and material recovery to advocacy and industry representation.

“The winter sports community has both the responsibility and the capacity to lead on climate,” wrote the organizing partners in a joint statement.

“To shape a viable future for this sector, collaboration is essential – from factories to mountain resorts.”

Lead image: Unsplash