Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin has signed a letter calling on FIS to make a series of changes to tackle climate change ©Getty Images

Around 140 athletes have signed a letter calling on the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) to tackle climate change after dismissing the organisation’s sustainability efforts as "insufficient".

Multiple Olympic medallists Mikaela Shiffrin of the United States, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde of Norway and Federica Brignone of Italy are among those that have put their name to the letter that is addressed to FIS President Johan Eliasch.

Austrian skier Julian Schütter, an Ambassador for Protect Our Winters, presented the letter, entitled "our sport is in danger", that set out the skiers’ demands at the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships in French resort Courchevel Meribel.

"We are already experiencing the effects of climate change in our everyday lives and our profession," the letter read according to a report by ABC News.

"The public opinion about skiing is shifting towards unjustifiability.

"We need progressive organisational action.

"We are aware of the current sustainability efforts of FIS and rate them as insufficient."

This year’s FIS World Cup season has been disrupted due to a lack of snow with a mild European winter causing havoc.

FIS President Johan Eliasch has come under pressure from athletes urging the worldwide governing body to take climate action ©Getty Images
FIS President Johan Eliasch has come under pressure from athletes urging the worldwide governing body to take climate action ©Getty Images

The athletes said that "glaciers are shrinking at a frightening pace" as concerns grow over the future of winter sport.

"That’s why we as a winter sports community have to take the lead in the fighting against climate change and make our sport climate neutral as soon as possible," the letter added.

"This is our most important race, let’s win it together."

The FIS was also urged to deliver its commitment to reaching net-zero for all operations and events by 2035 or before and achieve its pledge to reduce carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 in the letter.

The athletes demanded "total transparency" from FIS over its plan and called on the global governing body to create a sustainability department.

They also suggested moving the World Cup season from late October to late November and putting together a "geographically reasonable" race schedule in a bid to reduce intercontinental travel.

"It is high time to address this very important subject," said Kilde.

"We see that the world is changing, we also see the impact that this has on our sport.

"I want to keep doing what I love, we have to do our best to keep it going, but I also want future generations to be able to do it.

"It's a great letter that addresses something we have to keep in mind all our lives."

insidethegames has contacted FIS for comment.