Norwegian skier Nikolai Schirmer on Wednesday handed the International Olympic Committee a petition signed by more than 21,000 professional athletes and others who want to stop fossil fuel companies from sponsoring winter sports. Schirmer delivered the "Ski Fossil Free" petition to the IOC's head of sustainability, Julie Duffus, at a Milan hotel two days before the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics kicks off, per the AP. The petition asks the IOC and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, or FIS, to publish a report evaluating the appropriateness of fossil fuel marketing before next season.
Schirmer, a filmmaker and two-time European Skier of the Year, spoke exclusively with the AP outside the hotel and said the IOC informed him that it wouldn't allow media to witness their meeting. "It seems like the Olympics aren't ready to be the positive force for change that they have the potential to be," Schirmer said afterward. "So I just hope this can be a little nudge in the right direction, but we will see." Schirmer is a freeride skier who documents his adventures exploring Europe's steep terrains. While freeride skiing isn't currently an Olympic event, he said he felt like he needed to bring attention to fossil fuel marketing.
"The show goes on while the [thing] you depend on to do your job—winter—is disappearing in front of your very eyes," he said. "Not dealing with the climate crisis and not having skiing be a force for change just felt insane. We're on the front lines." Burning fossil fuels—coal, oil, and gas—is the largest contributor to global climate change by far. As the Earth warms at a record rate, winters are shorter and milder and there's less snow, creating challenges for winter sports. Researchers say the list of locales that could reliably host a Winter Games will shrink substantially in the coming years.
Schirmer argues his petition is a first step, much like a campaign decades ago that led to a ban of tobacco ads at the Games. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged every nation to ban ads from fossil fuel companies. In his meeting on Wednesday, Schirmer said, the IOC's head of sustainability pointed to the organization's commitments to renewable energy, which he feels isn't enough. The IOC told the AP that climate change is one of the most significant challenges facing sport and society, though it didn't say whether it will review fossil fuel marketing, as demanded by the petition. More here.
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