How Milano Cortina 2026 is raising the bar on sustainability and inclusion
The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games has adopted a formal Sustainability, Impact and Legacy Strategy that commits to climate action, circular economy principles, human rights, gender equality, inclusion and accessibility, and long-term local development across its host regions. For Para athletes and fans, that translates into using mostly existing venues, investing millions of euros in accessible infrastructure and transport, improving digital and in-venue accessibility, and aligning all of this with the mission of the Paralympic Movement to use sport as a driver of inclusion and social change.
Sustainability goals of Milano Cortina 2026
The organising committee’s Sustainability, Impact and Legacy Strategy sets out five core focus areas: climate change and natural ecosystems, circular economy, human rights and inclusion, sport and wellbeing, and sustainable local economic development. This strategy was approved in 2022 and updated in 2023, underlining that sustainability is designed as a guiding framework rather than added late in the planning cycle.
One of the most visible commitments is to reduce the Games’ environmental footprint by maximising use of existing infrastructure across Lombardy, Veneto and the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano, instead of building large numbers of new venues. The bid dossier and subsequent planning documents emphasise that Milano Cortina 2026 should act as a catalyst for long-term improvements in accessibility, transport and tourism that benefit local communities well beyond March 2026.
Accessibility improvements for athletes and fans
Accessibility is a central theme in both the Games’ legacy planning and the wider Paralympic narrative around Milano Cortina 2026. The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) has highlighted that the Paralympic Winter Games are acting as a catalyst for improved accessibility across Italy, with around EUR 20 million invested in upgrades to public spaces, city routes and the iconic Verona Arena that will host the Opening Ceremony.
Specific venue projects show how this investment is being used. The historic Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium, which first hosted events at the 1956 Olympic Winter Games, is being upgraded with new elevators and enhanced facilities to meet modern accessibility standards before it stages Wheelchair curling and the Closing Ceremony. Through the “Destination4All” project, the Municipality of Cortina is mapping and improving accessibility in hotels and restaurants, while the Veneto region has invested around EUR 22 million in accessible and eco-friendly hospitality infrastructure in mountain and Games related areas such as the Province of Bolzano.
For fans, organisers and partners are also working on accessible tourism information, improved wayfinding and better disability related content on regional tourism portals so that visitors can plan trips that meet their mobility, sensory and communication needs.
Environmental innovations in venues, transport and materials
Milano Cortina 2026 uses a multi cluster model that spreads events across Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Verona and Val di Fiemme, with a strong emphasis on reusing or upgrading existing venues and integrating them into wider sustainability plans. For example, the Milano Ice Park in Rho is being adapted to host Olympic speed skating and ice hockey events, then converted back into a flexible sports and events space after 2026, reducing the risk of “white elephant” venues that have limited community use.
Environmental assessment work around the Games Implementation Programme is being carried out at regional level, recognising the complexity of hosting across multiple regions and the need to balance local and wider sustainability objectives. This includes strategic environmental assessment processes that examine impacts on land use, mobility, natural ecosystems and resource consumption, and that are expected to guide mitigation and monitoring measures before, during and after the Games.
On the mobility side, legacy planning includes new accessible trains and infrastructure in key corridors, along with improved pedestrian routes and public transport intersections linked directly to venues such as the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena. These investments sit alongside broader Italian and European commitments to low-carbon transport and are intended to support both Games time travel and everyday mobility for disabled and non-disabled residents.
Circular economy principles are another strand of the sustainability strategy, with Milano Cortina 2026 committing to reduce waste, prioritise reuse and recycling and consider material lifecycles in areas such as venue fit out, overlay and temporary structures. Although some of the detail is still emerging, the focus on existing venues, multi-use designs and flexible temporary infrastructure is consistent with an approach that minimises new material demand where possible.
Inclusion, accessibility and the Paralympic Movement’s wider impact
While venue upgrades and transport investments are highly visible, Milano Cortina 2026 also sits within a broader shift in the Paralympic Movement towards measuring and maximising social impact. In 2025 the IPC launched its Impact Strategy, setting out four interconnected impact areas and emphasising the role of Para sport as a powerful driver of disability inclusion for 1.3 billion disabled people worldwide.
The IPC’s Strategic Plan and Impact Strategy both stress that Paralympic Games should be more than elite sporting events; they should act as platforms for challenging stigma, empowering disabled people and advancing policy and practice on accessibility and human rights. Milano Cortina’s Sustainability, Impact and Legacy Strategy reflects this by including explicit objectives around human rights, gender equality, inclusion and accessibility as one of its five pillars, alongside climate and circular economy goals.
For Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) and its athletes, these global strategies connect directly to work at home in Aotearoa New Zealand where Para sport is used as a vehicle for inclusion, wellbeing and leadership. PNZ has already highlighted that Milano Cortina 2026 arrives at the 50th anniversary of the Winter Paralympics and follows record participation in Beijing 2022, underlining a long term trend towards more nations, more women and more diverse athletes being represented on snow and ice.
What makes Milano Cortina 2026 different for sustainability minded fans
Many major sports events now talk about sustainability and legacy, but several aspects of Milano Cortina 2026 stand out for audiences who care about both environmental and social impact.
Deep reuse of venues and landscapes
Rather than building a new mountain cluster from scratch, Milano Cortina is leaning heavily on established ski areas, Nordic centres and arenas, while selectively upgrading historic sites like the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium to modern accessibility standards. This approach fits with International Olympic Committee (IOC) and IPC guidance on using existing facilities and reduces emissions and resource use associated with large-scale new builds.
Integrated accessibility investments beyond venues
The accessibility programme is not limited to competition sites; it also covers public spaces, city routes, transport hubs, hospitality and tourism information, backed by specific funding packages from regional authorities and the national government. That makes it more likely that disabled residents and visitors will see lasting improvements in day-to-day life long after the Paralympic flame has gone out.
Stronger measurement and impact focus
The IPC’s Impact Strategy puts data, research and evidence at the heart of how the Movement evaluates its effect on disability inclusion, aiming to improve data collection and analysis on Para sport and physical activity. As one of the first Paralympic Winter Games to take place after this strategy was launched, Milano Cortina 2026 is positioned to contribute new evidence on how investments in accessibility, inclusive tourism and community engagement translate into tangible changes for disabled people.
For fans in Aotearoa New Zealand, these developments sit alongside the work of PNZ to tell stories about adaptive technology, inclusion and the evolution of the Paralympic Winter Games from 1976 to 2026, helping audiences see sustainability and accessibility as core parts of the Games narrative rather than optional extras.
FAQ – sustainability and inclusion at Milano Cortina 2026
How is Milano Cortina 2026 promoting sustainability and inclusion?
Milano Cortina 2026 is guided by a Sustainability, Impact and Legacy Strategy that focuses on climate, circular economy, human rights and inclusion, sport and wellbeing, and sustainable local development, with concrete targets and actions across each area. This is supported by the IPC’s wider Strategic Plan and Impact Strategy, which frame the Paralympic Games as tools for advancing disability inclusion and social change around the world.
What steps are being taken to make the Games more accessible for athletes and fans?
Accessibility investments include around EUR 20 million for improvements to public spaces, city routes and the Verona Arena, upgrades to venues like the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium with new elevators and accessible facilities, and region wide projects such as Destination4All to improve hotel and restaurant accessibility. Additional funding in regions such as Veneto is supporting accessible and eco-friendly hospitality infrastructure and better disability related tourist information, helping visitors plan inclusive trips to mountain and Games related areas.
How are environmental impacts being managed at Milano Cortina 2026?
Organisers are prioritising the use of existing venues, multi-purpose arenas and adaptive designs that allow sites like the Milano Ice Park in Rho to be repurposed after the Games, reducing material demand and long-term maintenance burdens. Strategic environmental assessment processes across Lombardy, Veneto and the autonomous provinces are examining how the Games Implementation Programme interacts with climate, mobility, land use and biodiversity goals, informing mitigation measures and monitoring.
How do these plans align with Paralympic values?
The Paralympic values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality are closely tied to the IPC’s vision of “changing the world through Para sport”, and the Impact Strategy explicitly positions the Games as platforms for disability inclusion and human rights. The focus of Milano Cortina 2026 on accessible infrastructure, inclusive tourism, gender equality and human rights within its sustainability framework reflects this commitment to equality and long-term social impact.
What does all this mean for fans and communities in Aotearoa New Zealand?
For fans of the NZ Paralympic Team, Milano Cortina 2026 is not only a chance to follow Kiwi Paralympians on some of the world’s most famous snow and ice venues, but also an opportunity to see how sustainable and inclusive event planning can reshape cities and regions. The Games add to a 50-year Winter Paralympic story that has already produced 35 medals for New Zealand and is increasingly linked with conversations about accessibility, environmental responsibility and the role of Para sport in building more inclusive communities at home and overseas.
