Sustainable adaptations of the ski industry in Sweden

This study explored how stakeholders in the Swedish ski industry perceive climate change risks, what adaptation and mitigation strategies they are using, and whether Sweden could gain a competitive advantage over the European Alps under future climate change. Ski tourism is highly vulnerable to climate change, and Northern Sweden may become one of Europe’s most snow-reliable ski destinations in coming decades.

The researchers combined ski season climate modelling for 23 Swedish ski resorts with semi-structured interviews involving nine key ski industry stakeholders, including resort managers, industry representatives, and sustainability actors. Interview data were analyzed thematically to identify recurring perspectives on climate risks, adaptation, mitigation, and future competitiveness.

Stakeholders generally recognized climate change as a major long-term challenge, but many were hesitant to directly connect local weather changes to human-caused climate change. Snowmaking was the dominant adaptation strategy, although it was viewed more as a business necessity than a climate adaptation. The study also found tensions between growing tourist demand for sustainability and the industry’s continued reliance on carbon-intensive travel, particularly aviation.

The findings suggest that Swedish ski tourism may benefit from future climatic advantages, but long-term growth will depend on balancing competitiveness with sustainability and low-carbon transport strategies.

CITE: Rice, H., Cohen, S. A., & Scott, D. (2024). Perceptions of climate change risk and sustainable adaptations in the Swedish ski industry. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 32(2), 402-418. DOI: 10.1080/09669582.2022.2151858