The use of artificial snow in the Winter Olympics (Winter Olympics) has been around for many years. In fact, the option of artificial snow has enabled cities that do not have the right conditions (sufficient snowfall) to obtain the right to host the Games. However, this year's (2022) Beijing Winter Olympics will be the first to use almost 100% artificial snow produced by machines.
Global warming threatens future of Winter Olympics; Beijing experiences almost no natural snowfall this winter
The beginning of the year was the coldest in Beijing, yet the average temperature remained above freezing. Furthermore, Beijing has been experiencing a severe drought for many years, with almost no natural snowfall this winter. According to the China Water Resources Risk Report, Beijing faces severe water shortages and is increasingly dependent on water transported from the south. In Zhangjiakou, a city adjacent to Beijing and a Winter Olympics venue, per capita water resources are less than a quarter of the national average.
The International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to host the Winter Olympics in a city entirely reliant on artificial snow has raised questions about the sustainability of the Games. Madeleine Orr, a sports ecologist at Loughborough University in the UK, criticized the decision: "This 100% reliance on artificial snow is a cautionary tale. It suggests the Olympics are being held in places where climatic conditions do not allow it."
A recent study co-authored by Orr and other scholars indicates that human-induced global warming threatens the future of the Winter Olympics. As snowfall becomes increasingly erratic and temperatures rise, the number of cities suitable for hosting winter sports events will continue to decline. Even if artificial snow could replace natural snow, it would lack the appropriate low temperatures to prevent it from melting. "If specific mountain areas become too warm, even large-scale artificial snow production will not solve the problem."
Beijing Winter Olympics' artificial snow production consumes 49 million gallons of water, sacrificing drinking water for millions
It's estimated that China spent over $60 million on artificial snow equipment to host the Winter Olympics. Mechanical snowmaking consumes vast amounts of energy and water, requires low temperatures, and produces only a pale, almost indistinguishable imitation of natural snow. Artificial snow is composed of 30% ice and 70% air, compared to 10% ice and 90% air for natural snow. This significantly alters the texture of the snow, making the surfaces for events like skiing much firmer.
According to the IOC, the Beijing Winter Olympics will use solar photovoltaic and wind power to make snow, and a natural carbon dioxide refrigeration system will be used to maintain the temperature of the ice rink, reducing the carbon footprint of the entire event. Furthermore, Beijing plans to plant tens of thousands of trees to offset the carbon emissions of the event.
However, snowmaking requires a total of 49 million gallons of water, equivalent to the daily drinking water needs of one million people. The IOC stated that a comprehensive water conservation and recycling system will be implemented to ensure that the water used for snowmaking is used to the maximum extent possible. In addition, the water for snowmaking comes from nearby reservoirs and water plants, and the melted snow will be collected and reused for snowmaking, irrigation, or other purposes.
The Beijing Winter Olympics have revealed the predicament facing future Winter Olympics. Recent research from the University of Waterloo in Canada indicates that the number of cities capable of sustainably hosting the Winter Olympics is shrinking. If global greenhouse gas emissions continue to decline, by 2080 the only city capable of hosting the Winter Olympics will be Sapporo, Japan.
Winter sports are 'on the brink of extinction' as ski enthusiasts unite to fight climate change
Jeremy Jones, an internationally renowned alpine skier, founded the advocacy group "Protect Our Winters" in 2007 to rally winter sports enthusiasts against climate change. The group, along with sports ecology experts, recently released a new report, "Slippery Slopes: How Climate Change is threatening the 2022 Winter Olympics," warning that without aggressive action, many winter sports are facing extinction. The region where winter sports can be practiced will become increasingly limited, making training more challenging and expensive for athletes, effectively pushing a new generation of skiers and skaters into a narrow niche.
For Jones, climate change has made him rethink his career. "My approach to sports has changed significantly, including reducing travel, no longer using helicopters or snowmobiles, and using mostly human power for mobility, including using pedals and snowboards when I'm hiking in the mountains."
Jones emphasized that, from a broader perspective, the loss of winter sports like skiing pales in comparison to other impacts of climate change. Warmer winters are reducing snowpack in critical watersheds, leading to winter flooding, summer water shortages, and increased wildfire risk in regions like the Sierra Nevada. In the United States, warmer winters are fueling allergy season, increasing the spread of disease-carrying animals, and disrupting the lives of flowering plants and their pollinators.
The Winter Olympics is an important channel for drawing global attention to climate change and seeking solutions. Jones said, "For me, this is an opportunity for people to unite and save winter. We need urgent climate action."
Source: Environmental Information Center (https://e-info.org.tw/node/233381)
