A new era for the calculation of CO2 emissions in snow sports

Taking action against the climate crisis is one of the key commitments laid out in the FIS Impact Programme. This means, among other things, fostering the reduction of CO₂e emissions not only within FIS, but across the entire snow sports ecosystem, from National Ski Associations (NSAs) to event organizers.

Reducing CO₂e emissions at scale is, by definition, an arduous endeavor that requires intention and coordination from multiple parties. It is too complex and far too important to be carried out without a clear and reliable view of what is being calculated: the actual carbon footprint of an activity or service and how much concrete impact any specific changes can make.

This realization was at the heart of the project that resulted in the FIS CO₂ Calculator: a tool tailor-made for snow sports events that FIS is making available free of charge to all NSAs, as well as the Local Organizing Committees (LOCs) of all FIS events.

The FIS CO₂ Calculator is a simple and straightforward platform to calculate, understand, and therefore act on emissions related to events and activities. The calculator allows an organizer to not only report on emissions, but also take them into account when planning the event, before decisions are made in the areas of energy, mobility, sporting facilities, procurement, snow production, logistics, and many more.

“Ski and snowboarding events are an intense and demanding undertaking. We knew that the best way to make an impact would be to build a tool that is user-friendly and fully grounded on the reality of an event organizer,” says FIS Sustainability Director Susanna Sieff. “The calculator gives you the option to choose between, say, a catering service offering vegan or meat-based food and to understand how much each would contribute to your event’s carbon footprint. You can make decisions based on tangible, verified numbers.”

FIS has prepared a user guide to the calculator, as well as training videos, and is currently organizing a series of online workshops to instruct NSAs and LOCs on how to use the tool.

Learn more about the FIS CO₂ Calculator.

Enhanced calculations

Calculating CO₂e emissions is an intricate and complex task: it involves collecting huge quantities of data and checking its quality. In some circumstances, collecting some data can be difficult, and assumptions need to be made. This helps to consider all emission categories, but clearly affects the final figure.  

Pursuing as precise a calculation as possible − even with estimations − is a responsibility that FIS does not take lightly when it comes to the organization’s own CO₂e emissions or those of all its events combined.

In the process of breaking down the estimated numbers from last season, FIS counted on the support of consultancy company Planet Mark. After Planet Mark measured the estimated carbon footprints, Deloitte advised FIS on the emissions calculation methodology.

FIS emissions in 2023

Over the course of the calendar year 2023, FIS as an organization – i.e. considering electricity, natural gas, business travel, commuting, fleet travel, waste, water, partial purchased goods & services, transmission and distribution losses, and partial downstream transportation – amounted to:

Carbon footprint: 2,161.7 tCO₂e (tons of carbon dioxide equivalent)

Per employee: 25.4 tCO₂e

Emissions of the 2023/24 season

Using data captured from 69 events, an estimated footprint of 177 FIS events across all disciplines has been extrapolated to estimate the carbon footprint for the 2023/24 season:

Carbon footprint: 58,600 tCO₂e

Per event: 331.1 tCO₂e

Emissions resulting from travel are, unsurprisingly, the most relevant ones across the board. The latest reporting efforts across the sports industry point towards organizations tracking their own scope 1,2, and 3 emissions and, as an additional scope, estimate spectator travel associated with their activities. FIS requested that Planet Mark help estimate the emissions from this spectator travel, which amounted to 465,637.6 tCO₂e throughout the 2023/24 season, bringing the total to 524,238 tCO₂e.