FIS CO₂ emissions report for the 2024/25 season shows progress and more precise measurement
Sep 29, 2025·Inside FIS)
FIS has finalized the process of calculating and reporting on the carbon emissions of the organization over the course of the calendar year 2024, as well as on the emissions relative to the 2024/25 season of elite snow sports.
One of the key achievements for the period is related not to emissions themselves, but to the accuracy and transparency with which data has been collected. More comprehensive emissions accounting for the events has been made possible through the expansion of emission-source categories and, above all else, the introduction of the FIS CO₂ Calculator.
FIS 2025 emissions at a glance
Total Organizational Carbon Footprint: Total organizational emissions for 2024 were 1,999.2 tCO₂e, measured using a market-based approach, representing a 7.5% reduction compared to 2023. Notably, this decrease was achieved despite expanding the scope of measurement to include additional emissions categories.
World Cup (WC): Over 159 events, the 2024/25 WC season generated an estimated 63,548 tCO₂e, averaging 399.6 tCO₂e per event.
World Ski Championships (WSC): The three championship events produced a total of 6,030 tCO₂e, averaging roughly 2,010 tCO₂e per event.
The total CO₂ emissions from FIS events decreased from 524,238 tCO₂e in the 2023/24 season to 506,513.7 tCO₂e in 2024/25, marking a 3.4% reduction year-on-year.
FIS as an organization
In 2024, FIS’s total organizational carbon footprint, measured using a market-based approach, amounted to 1,999.2 tCO₂e, representing a 7.5% reduction from the previous year. This decrease was achieved even as the measurement scope was broadened to cover additional emissions categories.
The reduction reflects improved efficiency in direct energy use and electricity consumption, which fell by 44.7% due to more efficient fuel usage and greater reliance on renewable electricity. At the same time, emissions intensity per employee decreased from 25.4 tCO₂e in 2023 to 20.6 tCO₂e in 2024, marking a 19% improvement.
Business travel remains the largest contributor to FIS’s organizational footprint, representing 47.9% of total emissions, while downstream transportation and distribution account for 42.9%. Fleet travel emissions fell due to optimized travel planning and a reduction in the number of travellers. Emissions from purchased goods and services fell by 75.7%, thanks to improved item-level reporting and more accurate data collection. Downstream transportation and distribution increased in absolute terms by 31.9%, but when normalized to account for radiative forcing, emissions actually decreased by 18.3%. The addition of a new category for fuel- and energy-related activities, totalling 32.1 tCO₂e, also improved the overall accuracy of Scope 3 reporting.
FIS reports organizational emissions using both market-based and location-based approaches. Location-based emissions reflect the carbon intensity of the electricity grid where energy is consumed, while market-based emissions are tied to the specific electricity purchased by the organization. The operational boundary and data quality scores indicate significant improvements in the accuracy of FIS’s organizational-level reporting. Updates in 2024 included expanded reporting for business travel, employee commuting, and downstream transportation, as well as the introduction of radiative forcing adjustments for air travel, which account for the broader climate impact of aviation.
Key highlights (Organizational emissions 2024):
Total organizational footprint: 1,999.2 tCO₂e (market-based)
Carbon intensity per employee: reduced by 19% year on year
Direct energy and electricity emissions: down by 44.7%
Business travel: represents nearly half of the total footprint
Improvements in methodology included:
Broader coverage of Scope 3 categories (e.g. business travel, commuting, downstream transport).
The introduction of radiative forcing adjustments in flight calculations for greater accuracy. (Radiative forcing measures how factors such as greenhouse gases influence the Earth’s temperature; positive values contribute to warming, while negative values contribute to cooling.)
Emissions from FIS events
While FIS organizational emissions are important, the largest share of the federation’s carbon footprint comes from events, particularly the World Cup (WC) and the World Ski Championships (WSC). The 2024/25 season marked a milestone with the implementation of the FIS CO₂ Calculator, which allowed for standardized and detailed data collection across all events.
During the 2024/25 World Cup season, 159 events generated an estimated 63,548 tCO₂e, averaging roughly 399.6 tCO₂e per event. The main sources of emissions were transport, arena operations, and energy consumption, while purchases, food and beverage, accommodation, equipment, recycling, and stage operations contributed smaller shares. Spectator travel remains the single largest driver of emissions, generating 421,846.3 tCO₂e, and is reported separately in accordance with the Climate Action Framework guidance.
For the three World Ski Championships held during the same season, total emissions were estimated at 6,030 tCO₂e, averaging approximately 2,010 tCO₂e per event. Transport, including the movement of both participants and goods, accounted for 58.7% of total emissions, while food and beverages contributed 14.3%, and arena operations 12.4%. Purchases, energy use, accommodation, stage operations, recycling, and equipment made up the remaining emissions. Spectator travel again represented the largest source of emissions, totaling 15,089.5 tCO₂e, based on detailed data collected at Trondheim 2025 and adjusted for the Austrian and Swiss events.
World Cup 2024/25:
159 events generated an estimated 63,548 tCO₂e
Average per event: ~399.6 tCO₂e
Biggest sources: transport, arena operations, and energy
Spectator travel is reported separately, in line with the UNFCCC Climate Action Framework. For WC events, it represented 421,846.3 tCO₂e, making it by far the largest contributor.
World Ski Championships 2024/25:
3 events generated 6,030 tCO₂e
Average per event: ~2,010 tCO₂e
Biggest sources: transport, food & beverage, arena operations
Improved accuracy in reporting
Compared with 2024, the 2025 methodology provided more detailed coverage across several categories, including arena operations, stage, equipment, and accommodation. Food and beverage emissions are now calculated based on the type of food consumed - vegan, vegetarian, or meat-based - rather than relying on average meal costs. Previously underrepresented areas such as arena emissions are now fully accounted for. While total reported event emissions appear higher, this increase reflects improved data granularity and reporting accuracy, rather than a true increase in environmental impact.
Measuring travel emissions
Athlete and spectator travel remain among the largest contributors to event emissions. To estimate athlete travel emissions for both WC and WSC events, FIS used detailed travel data and accreditation records, calculating per-athlete-per-event emission factors for each discipline. These factors were then multiplied by the total number of events and athletes to estimate total travel emissions.
Spectator travel emissions were calculated using attendance projections, likely transport methods, and average travel distances. For the World Cup, assumptions included that 1% attended on-site without travel, 59% travelled locally (≤100 km), 10% used public transport, and 30% flew (two-thirds European, one-third international). For WSC events, emissions were based on a detailed study from Trondheim 2025, geolocating spectator travel distances and applying a per-spectator emission factor to Austrian and Swiss events.
Lessons learned and next steps
FIS’s latest analysis demonstrates clear progress in both organizational and event-level carbon management. The federation itself achieved a market-based footprint reduction of 7.5% from 2023, even as the measurement scope was broadened to cover additional emissions categories.
At events, significant reductions have been made in energy consumption, and previously underreported sources such as arena operations, equipment, and accommodation are now fully accounted for.
Spectator travel continues to be the largest contributor to overall event emissions, highlighting a challenge that is largely outside the direct control of organizers. At the organizational level, supply chain engagement represents a significant opportunity for further reductions. FIS is actively addressing these challenges through targeted initiatives at both event and organizational levels.
Looking ahead, work is underway towards the eventually mandatory use of the FIS CO₂ Calculator by all Local Organizing Committees. This approach is expected to further strengthen the consistency and comparability of emissions reporting, reflecting FIS’s commitment to continuous improvement, evidence-based decision-making, and climate action across all operations and events.
NOTES
Calculating CO₂e emissions is a highly detailed and challenging process, requiring the collection of vast amounts of data and careful verification of its quality. In some cases, obtaining certain data can be difficult, necessitating the use of assumptions. While this approach ensures that all emission categories are considered, it inevitably influences the final figures.
Striving for the most accurate calculation possible - even when estimates are involved - is a responsibility FIS approaches with utmost seriousness, both for its organizational emissions and for the emissions generated across all its events.
In preparing the 2024 emissions estimates, FIS continued the approach used in previous years by collaborating with Planet Mark to process the organization’s own data, ensuring that the carbon footprint of FIS as an organization was accurately captured.
For the events themselves, data processing was carried out internally, making use of the FIS CO₂ Calculator and the expertise of the sustainability team. To provide additional assurance and gain a technical perspective, FIS invited Green Producers to review the methodology and approach. This collaboration allowed for a constructive discussion on methodology, assumptions, and emission factors, helping to ensure that calculations are consistent across the different national energy mixes of the countries hosting FIS events.
The review confirmed that the methodology is transparent and well-documented, effectively combining direct event data with proxy-based estimates to allow comparability across a wide range of events.
Overall, the Green Producers assessment recognized FIS’s approach as transparent, methodologically sound, and reasonably reliable, especially for operational emissions with direct event data. While some limitations remain - such as assumptions for spectator - the methodology is appropriate for providing an indicative seasonal footprint. The review also offered helpful suggestions for future improvements, including expanding direct data collection, strengthening international travel data, and validating spectator travel assumptions with surveys or ticketing information.