Paralympians fear for future of winter sports as climate change takes hold

ZHANGJIAKOU, China: As Winter Paralympians prepare to return home from Beijing, many fear the effects of climate change in their countries and how a lack of snowfall could inhibit training for the Milano-Cortina Games in 2026.

When she should have been skiing during Norway's traditional snow season last winter, Birgit Skarstein was still rowing a scull boat on lakes that usually freeze over.

The Paralympian, who rows at summer games and skis at the winter edition, says she is on the frontline of observing the effects of climate change in Norway.

"This year, I wasn't able to ski on really good tracks until the end of January," Skarstein told AFP, adding that normally the natural snowfall comes in November.

"I was hunting mountain tops. Over November, December, January, I was moving from mountain top to mountain top to find snow and it was only artificial snow."

With temperatures rising globally, the 33-year-old cautions about the future of snow sports.

"Everybody who loves snow and everybody who loves winter sports should care about climate change," she said.

"We were rowing until New Year's, it was crazy," she says, pointing out that venues for winter-sport training are becoming increasingly scarce.

Both natural snowfall and the amount of water available for artificial snow are diminishing around the world, said Climate Council of Australia research director Dr Martin Rice.

"In fact, of the 21 venues used for the Winter Olympic Games since 1924 and Paralympic Games since 1976, only 10 will have the 'climate suitability' and natural snowfall levels to host an event by 2050," he told AFP.

At the Beijing Winter Paralympics, Nordic and alpine skiing events have taken place on slopes using only artificial snow.

Some athletes even wore