A new report finds that the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing will be made less safe for athletes because of the effects of climate change, including water scarcity, warm temperatures and poor air quality.
, precipitation is being increasingly concentrated in less frequent but more extreme rains, which causes dried-out land to be flooded by occasional storms.Beijing is one of the world’s most water-scarce cities, and the energy and water demands of the Olympics will be substantial: Approximately 1.2 million cubic meters of snow will be required, necessitating the use of eight water cooling towers and 130 fan-driven snow generators.
There has also been an increasing shift toward indoor competition, as warmer temperatures have made ice too prone to melting. The last Olympics to hold the speed skating races outdoors were in Albertville, France, in 1992. Olympic ice hockey has been played indoors since 1964. Even if the changes are imperceptible to the casual fan, athletes say they can feel the difference between artificial ice or snow and the naturally occurring kind. The fake stuff, they say, is not as safe.Artificial snow crystals are not really crystals, they're balls of ice. It forms a dense, icy snowpack. It’s unforgiving if you fall over,” Lesley McKenna, a former British snowboarder who competed in three Winter Olympics, told Yahoo News.
“You want ice to be smooth,” Smith explained. “It’s easier to maintain smooth ice when the ambient temperature is cold. If it keeps on getting hot and then cold, then it creates bad quality ice. And bad quality ice is bumpy, and if you keep going over bumpy ice over and over, it’s not good for your head.”
“Winter sports are going to be increasingly expensive to deliver and more difficult to access because they are relying on artificial snow and ice making,” Kellison said.McKenna pointed to her own childhood as an example of relatively easy and affordable access to skiing that may no longer be available.
日本 最新ニュース, 日本 見出し
Similar News:他のニュース ソースから収集した、これに似たニュース記事を読むこともできます。
Olympics China warns of air pollution risk during Beijing Winter GamesChinese authorities will take action against polluters to ensure next month's Winter Olympics will be held in a 'good environment', an environment ministry spokesman said on Monday, as particularly heavy smog shrouded the capital, Beijing.
続きを読む »
Beijing Winter Olympics: Discovery Europe Won’t “Shy Away” From Human Rights IssuesAndrew Georgiou, president of sports, discusses the company's ambitions for its coverage of the Games in Europe, including a 'cinematic' feel.
続きを読む »
Toxic Air Has Descended on Beijing, Just in Time for the Winter OlympicsThe city was able to drastically reduce pollution levels ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games, but with just two weeks left until the event, time is running out.
続きを読む »
Stay Updated With a 2022 Winter Olympics COVID-19 TrackerEvery country competing in the 2022 Winter Olympics has to overcome COVID-19. Here’s the latest information on vaccinations and positive test results.
続きを読む »
See Who Qualified for Team USA at the 2022 Winter OlympicsThere are 114 men, 108 women and one athlete who identifies as nonbinary on the roster. The 223 athletes make up the second-biggest contingent the U.S. has ever sent to the Olympics.
続きを読む »