Due to the current changing climate, real snow is becoming increasingly rare. And so hundreds of snow cannons in Beijing are currently working overtime.

In two days the time has come: the start of the Winter Olympics in the Chinese capital Beijing. Nearly 3000 athletes will participate in the Games. But they are not completely carefree. Due to climate change, there is now significantly less crackling snow on the Chinese slopes, which means that hundreds of snow cannons have to be used to color the slopes white. And that puts many sports at risk.

fake snow

At the moment there is hardly any precipitation on the Chinese mountains. And that means that this year’s Winter Games are almost completely dependent on fake snow for the first time. Although artificial snow has also been used in previous Games, its size has never been greater than it is today. 130 fan-powered snow generators and 300 snow cannons are needed to create 1.2 million cubic meters of snow, researchers write in a report. And that consumes water and energy.

water and energy

According to the researchers, it is estimated that about 186 million liters of water – for your imaging, that’s 74 full Olympic swimming pools – are needed to make enough snow. “For everything to work, event organizers need to have access to a massive supply of water and power all equipment,” said study researcher Tim Kellison. “And even then, favorable weather conditions are needed to keep all artificial snow in optimal conditions – even fake snow will eventually melt.”

Durable

Although the intended goal was to keep the Winter Games in Beijing sustainable, it appears that that idea has now been dropped. Not only have the Games become very energy and water intensive, many chemicals are also needed to prevent the fake snow from melting. And those chemicals are also bad for the environment.

Dangerous

But it is not only conservationists who are dissatisfied with the developments. The large amounts of fake snow can also pose a danger to the athletes participating in the Games. Thus, it creates a surface that is unpredictable and potentially dangerous for many athletes. “If a superpipe is only formed from fake snow, the pipe can become solid ice,” warns Scottish freestyle skier Laura Donaldson. “This is dangerous for athletes, some have even died.”

Increase in injuries

Canadian freestyle skier Philippe Marquis also talks about the ‘scary changes to the landscape and glaciers’ he has seen in recent years. He describes the increase in psychological problems among snow athletes and injuries caused by the lack of exercise on snow. “That creates an extra pressure to perform when there’s an opportunity,” he says. “The conditions are definitely more dangerous than what we’ve seen before. Athletes feel the urge to push their limits, even when the conditions are not optimal.” In addition, Czech biathlete Jessica Jislová also expresses concern about the ongoing trend of unstable winter weather and the associated decrease in snowfall. “Extreme weather changes can be really dangerous for athletes,” she underlines.

Future of winter sports

The message is clear: man-made warming threatens the future of winter sports. It also reduces the number of climatically suitable venues for the Winter Olympics. The report’s researchers therefore recommend that Olympic planning committees consider environmental considerations and sustainability when choosing future locations for the Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Games. “Beijing 2022 is not unique in dealing with lack of snow – this is a recurring problem in mountain areas around the world,” Kellison said. “Our aim is therefore not to put Beijing’s name and shame, but we wanted to show the challenges and hopefully start a conversation about how sporting events can adapt to a changing climate.”

The team proposes to do more in-depth research on the effects of fake snow and the optimal environments for training and competition in winter sports. “We expect that the changing climate will only increase reliance on artificial snow,” Kellison says. “It is therefore important to better understand how we can do this more efficiently and in a way that minimizes the impact on the environment. In addition, it is imperative to ensure that those in the snow – whether they are on the slopes for the first time or whizzing down a mountain during an Olympic race – are safe.”