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The warming trend has already made it more difficult to keep snow on the ground in 21 cities that have hosted Winter Games.
Nearly two dozen cities have hosted the Winter Games over the past century. This includes North American cities such as Vancouver and Salt Lake City as well as European winter hotspots such As Innsbruck and Turin in Italy. It also includes Asian cities such PyeongChang (South Korea) and Nagano (Japan).
On February 3, the 24th Olympic Winter Games started in Beijing. Sports IllustratedIt’s the first time an Olympic host city has had entirely to rely on artificial snow.
According to a Recent study by researchers at the University of WaterlooThe February temperatures in Ontario, Canada have increased significantly since 1950, when the Winter Olympics were held. Since 1950 These cities have seenOn average, Beijing has seen a temperature rise of 4.8 degrees Fahrenheit. Beijing has seen an 8.9 F rise in temperature during the same period.
The graphic below shows the current climate of the host cities for the Winter Olympics and their projected fate under high emission scenarios in 2050 and 2080. ClimateCentral. Photo courtesy
Daniel Scott, a University of Waterloo professor of geography, environmental management, and one of its authors, shared his thoughts. AccuWeatherBill Wadell, national reporter, stated that “right now with the current climate about half of the hosts can provide really great service.” [snow]conditions are 90 percent or better.
Scott and other researchers projected what these cities might look like in the future, both in 2050, and 2080, if global emissions don’t decrease.
Scott explained, “Under a high emission scenario, if you continue down the same path as now, we will have about four climate-reliable areas mid-century and one in the latter part of the century.”
The four cities that are expected to remain climate-reliable in 2050 include Lake Placid, N.Y.; Lillehammer and Oslo (Norway); and Sapporo (Japan).
The study found that Sapporo is the only city that will be climate-reliable by 2080 if global emissions are not curbed.
According to the study, in a low-emissions scenario that is consistent with the goals of Paris Climate Agreement, nine out of 21 host cities would have reliable February conditions by 2050s. The number would drop to eight by 2080s.
“We are seeing some real effects from the climate crisis on our winter sports prospects, and it really does threaten the ski industry,” said the former mayor of Salt Lake City. Rocky Anderson, spoke about the changes he’s seen.Since 2002, Utah has hosted the Winter Games.
Wadell was told by Anderson that the burning of fossil fuels poses a huge threat to winter sports venues around the world.
Climate Central reports that February temperatures have risen by almost 3 degrees in Salt Lake City since 1950.
Scott also surveyed international coaches and athletes in winter sports. 94% of those surveyed were concerned that climate change could impact their sport’s future development.
According to the survey results, athletes and coaches were more concerned about conditions like higher temperatures, low natural snowpack and artificial snow. These are all factors that can have a significant impact on outdoor winter sports competitions. These were also mentioned as safety factors.
Although artificial snow was able to allow Beijing to host the Winter Olympics this year, it was not without its challenges.Athletes to prepare differently for Games.
“[Artificial snow]It is more difficult and icier, and can change with the weather. It can make the course difficult, although I don’t want it to be dangerous. However, it can also make it more challenging in terms of how you navigate corners,” Jessie Diggins was a gold medalist at cross-country skiing at 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang. The New York Times.
“No sport can avoid the effects of climate change. The goal is to achieve the Paris AgreementScott stated that it is crucial to set targets to save snow sports and ensure there are places around the world for the Winter Olympics. A press release.
The Paris Climate Agreement was created in 2015 and is an international treaty that encourages countries around the globe to make an effort reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They have been proven to be one the biggest contributors to global climate change.
Some researchersParalympic Games could be even more at risk. These events are usually held around a month after the Winter Olympics. They are typically held in March, when the average temperature in the Northern Hemisphere is higher and snow is not an issue.
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