This autumn, several key files will reach a critical moment. The EU will decide rules that shape how Europeans travel for the next decade. POW Europe has developed a position paper supporting the opportunity to cut transport emissions and rebalance Europe’s transport system towards rail.

Losing glaciers and rivers doesn’t just mean a loss of recreation activities. It means the loss of a whole water system that Europe relies on for competitiveness in a global market, energy, food security and trade. POW Europe CEO Natasha Kalauz reflects on the latest European Commission state of the union speech and what it means for the outdoor community.

Aline Bock, snowboarder and member of POW Germany’s Athlete Alliance. She’s a Freeride World Tour winner and she’s also someone who talks about climate protection measures, both big and small. In this interview, she talks about how she finds her motivation to tackle not only steep slopes but also the climate crisis.

After 24 months of advocacy efforts directed at UTMB, POW is pleased that the organisation is finally showing a decline, driven primarily by a reduced number of participants and attendees (≈280 fewer runners in 2025, a 2.5% decrease), as well as a decrease in the number of media representatives, guests, and partners (≈560 fewer people). These measures are in line with UTMB’s goal of a 20% reduction in the carbon footprint by 2030. However, it remains insufficient unless additional actions are implemented.

Ben Aidan spent 16 years helping build one of the biggest names in outdoor. Now he’s channeling that experience into protecting the mountains that inspired it all along. This November, he’s bringing that story to ISPO in Amsterdam. Ben is speaking at both the ISPO Leaders’ Summit (3 November) and the ISPO Expo (4-5 November), and his career is basically a trailer for what he’ll cover on stage.

Wendall Lorenzen lives in Berlin but your just as likely to find him on a narrow trail in the Alps or the low mountain ranges than on the asphalt of the capital. As a trail runner and member of POW Germany’s Athlete Alliance, he combines two things that, for him, are inextricably linked: his passion for outdoor sports and his commitment to protecting nature. POW Germany spoke with him about his motivation, his path to trail running and his involvement with POW.

Brand Advocacy Day is a one-day gathering that turns awareness into action. POW Europe is hosting its second Brand Advocacy Day on 10 September. This time in Brussels, at the heart of where all EU policy decisions are made. The 2026 edition will pair a morning of advocacy briefing and strategy with an afternoon inside the European Parliament.

The coming months will be decisive when it comes to EU climate and environment policy. Decisions about how we travel and how and how we safeguard the glaciers, snowpack and water systems that a warming world is already putting at risk, are all on the table this autumn. While POW can make sure that EU policymakers know what the outdoor community wants, we make the message louder if industry raises their voice, too.

Ahead of the 2026 the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) elections, Protect Our Winters Europe and its national POW chapters assessed the climate action and sustainability commitments of each FIS presidential candidate ahead of elections. We asked all three candidates eight questions about their climate and sustainability commitments.

Last year was a defining year for glaciers and for collective action. Designated by UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization as the International Year of Glacier Preservation, 2025 was a moment of global acknowledgement. Yet glaciers have no vote and no voice in decision-making rooms. So, POW in Europe made sure recognition turned into action. All of which is showcased in our 2025 Impact report.

From infrastructure debates to athlete-led climate campaigns, the Winter Games in the Italian Alps highlighted the urgent need to align winter sports with a changing climate. Milano–Cortina 2026 showed both the power and the challenges of hosting the Winter Games in a warming world.

Today, POW Europe and its national chapters sent an open letter directly to the environment and climate ministers of several EU member states as well as to the cabinets and advisors of three key European commissioners: Wopke Hoekstra (Climate Action), Teresa Ribera (Green Deal & Competition) and Jessika Roswall (Environment).