Climate change in skiing and F1: what sport gets right, and wrong

Skiing and Formula One sit at opposite ends of the sustainability debate. One is fighting to survive. The other is often criticised for excess. But both reveal something important about how industries respond when the pressure builds.In this episode, Professor Paolo Aversa (King’s Business School) explains why artificial snow may be keeping skiing alive in the short term while quietly making its long-term future more fragile. As costs rise and conditions worsen, the sport risks becoming more exclusive and less viable for the communities built around it.Then we turn to Formula One. Despite its image, could it actually be one of the few sports that delivers real technological value? From hybrid engines to net zero fuels, F1 positions itself as a high-performance lab for innovation. But how much of that promise translates into meaningful change?Two very different sports. One shared question:when does innovation solve a problem, and when does it just delay it?00:00 Artificial snow and the illusion of control01:00 Why climate change is reshaping sport02:00 Why skiing is under pressure05:30 Artificial snow becomes essential08:00 The hidden costs: energy and water11:30 When adaptation becomes a trap14:30 Who can still afford to ski?17:00 Why Formula One is different18:00 F1 as a lab for innovation21:00 Net zero fuel explained23:30 The limits of electric vs fuel26:00 Can F1 technology scale?