Report: Climate Change Threatens Winter Olympics, Snow Sports
2022-01-29
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1Experts warn that climate change is threatening the Winter Olympics and the future of snow sports.
2Warmer weather is also making conditions much more dangerous for athletes and others.
3The warning came in a report published a week before the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing begin on February 4.
4The Games will be the first Winter Olympics to use almost 100 percent artificial snow.
5More than 400 snow making machines are being used to cover the ski area.
6The report said that making artificial snow uses a lot of energy, water and chemicals.
7The researchers said the artificial snow also creates what many competitors call unpredictable and dangerous conditions.
8The report came from the Sport Ecology Group at Loughborough University in England and the Protect Our Winters environment group based in Boulder, Colorado.
9The Beijing organizing committee has released its own report.
10It said the Games' "smart snowmaking system" could use 20 percent less water than traditional methods.
11The organizers said the Games will not put pressure on local water supplies.
12Instead, they said melted mountain water will be used along with rainfall collected during the summer.
13The research noted that climate change reduces the amount of natural snow fall in many areas of the world.
14There is also less water available to create artificial snow, putting the entire snow sport industry at risk.
15Competitors often must deal with unpredictable snow seasons, the research said.
16Climate change is also reducing the number of places that can host the Winter Games.
17"The risk is clear: man-made warming is threatening the long-term future of winter sports," the report said.
18There have been 21 hosts of the Winter Olympics since the 1924 Games at the French resort of Chamonix.
19Researchers estimated that, by 2050, only 10 will have the "climate suitability" and natural snowfall levels to host the event.
20Chamonix is now rated "high risk" along with places in Norway, France and Austria.
21Vancouver in Canada, Sochi in Russia, and Squaw Valley in the United States are considered "unreliable."
22I'm Dan Novak.
1Experts warn that climate change is threatening the Winter Olympics and the future of snow sports. 2Warmer weather is also making conditions much more dangerous for athletes and others. The warning came in a report published a week before the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing begin on February 4. 3The Games will be the first Winter Olympics to use almost 100 percent artificial snow. More than 400 snow making machines are being used to cover the ski area. 4The report said that making artificial snow uses a lot of energy, water and chemicals. The researchers said the artificial snow also creates what many competitors call unpredictable and dangerous conditions. The report came from the Sport Ecology Group at Loughborough University in England and the Protect Our Winters environment group based in Boulder, Colorado. 5The Beijing organizing committee has released its own report. It said the Games' "smart snowmaking system" could use 20 percent less water than traditional methods. 6The organizers said the Games will not put pressure on local water supplies. Instead, they said melted mountain water will be used along with rainfall collected during the summer. 7The research noted that climate change reduces the amount of natural snow fall in many areas of the world. There is also less water available to create artificial snow, putting the entire snow sport industry at risk. Competitors often must deal with unpredictable snow seasons, the research said. 8Climate change is also reducing the number of places that can host the Winter Games. 9"The risk is clear: man-made warming is threatening the long-term future of winter sports," the report said. 10There have been 21 hosts of the Winter Olympics since the 1924 Games at the French resort of Chamonix. Researchers estimated that, by 2050, only 10 will have the "climate suitability" and natural snowfall levels to host the event. 11Chamonix is now rated "high risk" along with places in Norway, France and Austria. Vancouver in Canada, Sochi in Russia, and Squaw Valley in the United States are considered "unreliable." 12I'm Dan Novak. 13Reuters reported this story. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. 14__________________________________________________________ 15Words in This Story 16artificial - adj. not natural; created or manufactured by people 17host - n. an organization, group or country that holds an event and provides all of the things needed to make the even safe and enjoyable 18suitable - adj. having the qualities that are right or needed for some purpose 19unreliable - adj. not able to be depended upon; not likely to provide what is needed or promised