Sustainability Initiatives Shine at 2026 Winter Olympics

Meteorologist Kristen Currie highlights eco-friendly efforts at the Milan-Cortina Games.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Italy are prioritizing sustainability, with over 90% of the venues being existing or temporary facilities, including some refurbished from the 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo Games. The Games are running on 100% certified renewable electricity, using HVO biofuel for snowcats and temporary generators, and repurposing 20,000 pieces of furniture from the 2024 Paris Olympics. Food service has also focused on sustainability, with 13 million meals at the 2024 Paris Games producing less than half the carbon emissions of the average French meal.

Why it matters

The Olympic Games have faced criticism in the past for their environmental impact, but recent host cities like Paris and now Milan-Cortina are making concerted efforts to prioritize sustainability and reduce the carbon footprint of the events. These initiatives set an example for future Olympic Games and demonstrate how large-scale sporting events can be held more responsibly.

The details

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina will feature over 100 events across 16 sports at 25 venues spanning 250 miles in Northern Italy. According to NASA, more than 90% of the venues are existing or temporary facilities, including some refurbished from the 1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo Games. This aligns with the sustainability efforts of the 2024 Paris Olympics, which used 95% pre-existing or temporary venues. The Milan-Cortina Games are also running on 100% certified renewable electricity and using HVO biofuel for snowcats and temporary generators. Additionally, 20,000 pieces of furniture from the 2024 Paris Olympics are being repurposed for the current Games. Food service has also focused on sustainability, with 13 million meals at the 2024 Paris Games producing less than half the carbon emissions of the average French meal.

  • The 2026 Winter Olympics will take place over two and a half weeks of competition.
  • The 2024 Paris Olympics launched a $1.5 billion effort to clean and restore the Seine River before the Games, which had not been suitable for swimming for over 50 years.

The players

Kristen Currie

A meteorologist who highlighted the sustainability initiatives at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina.

NASA

Provided data showing that more than 90% of the venues for the 2026 Winter Olympics are existing or temporary facilities.

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What they’re saying

“The Olympic Games have taken some heat in years past over the environmental impact of the competitions. As a result, recent games, and more specifically the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, have prioritized sustainability.”

— Kristen Currie, Meteorologist (kxan.com)

The takeaway

The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina are setting a new standard for sustainability at major sporting events, with initiatives like using renewable energy, repurposing materials, and reducing the carbon footprint of food service. These efforts demonstrate how large-scale competitions can be held more responsibly and with a focus on environmental impact, paving the way for future Olympic Games to follow suit.