Climate change threatens far more than our beloved powder days. It puts nearly everything we know at risk — our way of life, economy, food supply, drinking water — and its effects reach every corner of the planet.
This is where Protect Our Winters (POW) comes in.
POW rallies the outdoor community to lead on climate action through education, collaboration and advocacy. As an alliance of athletes, brands, creatives, scientists and outdoor enthusiasts, POW combines expertise, reach and influence to create impact that matters — in policy and in practice. We do it for the mountains, trails and waterways we love because these places make life truly special.
Are you ready to turn your passion into purpose? There are plenty of ways to get involved.
Join POW in your country!
Turning passion into purpose
As outdoor lovers, we are fortunate. We spend countless hours immersed in nature’s beauty, but we also witness its fragility firsthand: unpredictable weather patterns, vanishing wildlife, devastating landslides and diminishing snowfall.
When you see the changes first-hand, you can understand what’s truly at stake. It’s not simply about protecting the snow we ride on from melting, the forests we run through from burning, the cliffs we climb from crumbling or the rivers we paddle down from drying up. It’s about creating a climate-friendly society where there’s social justice and respect for all living things.
As fortunate outdoor lovers, we have the responsibility to act. POW uses the love and passion found in outdoor sports to help brands, organisations and individuals become impactful climate advocates.
POW turns passion into purpose.
POW in action
POW Europe brings together a growing network of ten national chapters — Austria, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK — united by one mission: to protect the places we love from climate change. Together, we act through three powerful pillars:
Advocate
Everyone has a role in advocacy — whether you’re an influential athlete, a business or an individual who cares about the outdoors. POW believes that changes for the better can be made everywhere, from mountain summits to meeting rooms.
We mobilised the outdoor community ahead of the European elections, and we continuously engage with policymakers around the climate decisions that shape our future. We empower citizens, athletes, outdoor brands and scientists to take part in climate politics and to speak up for the vulnerable ecosystems that cannot speak for themselves.
The UN proclaimed 2025 the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation. We drew attention to the impacts of glacier loss through various initiatives, including screening our Downstream documentary across the world and numerous national glacier-preservation projects and campaigns.
Collaborate
We join forces with leading outdoor brands and other organisations to push for meaningful climate action that protects the places and lifestyles we cherish. And we hold the sports sector accountable to do better.
Our collaborations bring together athletes, scientists, creatives, and the outdoor industry — building a collective force that drives real, positive change for the planet.
Educate
Education fuels action. We raise awareness about the climate crisis while inspiring and empowering people and businesses to act.
We champion climate education and nurture the next generation of climate leaders. For example, through our Hot Planet Cool Athletes programme, already active in schools across eight European countries.
Across our chapters and digital channels, we engage more than 150 000 supporters, amplified by over 200 athlete ambassadors who reach more than 4 million people. Together, we stand for a European outdoor community of over 60 million hikers, skiers, snowboarders, climbers, and adventurers — a movement with the power to create lasting change.
That’s how we turn passion into purpose. And this is only the beginning.