Climate change is reshaping the geography and economy of our mountain regions and, within this complex scenario, the UNIMONT Centre of the University of Milan confirms its role as a scientific point of reference in guiding territories towards new development models.
Today, January 21, 2026, Internazionale published the video feature “Skiing in the Alps Will Soon Be a Thing of the Past”, an investigation into the effects of the climate crisis carried out by Michele Bertelli, Federica Bonalumi, Alessandra Tranquillo and Lyse Mauvais, as part of the investigative project on the Italian and French Alps Who Owns Our Winter, produced with the support of Journalismfund Europe.
The report highlights how the progressive reduction in snowfall is jeopardising the survival of ski resorts, especially those below 1,800 metres, creating an environmental and socio-economic crisis that makes mountain areas increasingly exclusive and puts local communities under growing pressure.
As emphasised by Prof. Anna Giorgi, Head of the UNIMONT Centre of the University of Milan, it is essential to reflect on and develop adaptation strategies capable of reconciling environmental sustainability with economic development. UNIMONT translates this awareness into applied research through national and international projects such as TranStat – Transitions to Sustainable Ski Tourism in the Alps of Tomorrow, developed with the Lombardy Region to study sustainable models for ski resorts, and Prato Valentino 2050, a participatory laboratory involving the local community of Teglio (Sondrio), funded by Fondazione Cariplo. The aim is to provide territories with scientific tools to transform crisis into opportunities for regeneration.