Beijing 2022 Committed To Hosting “Green, Inclusive And Open And Clean” Games

Beijing 2022 is committed to its mission of hosting “green, inclusive and open and clean” Olympic Winter Games. The Organising Committee’s initiatives include sustainable management of venues, low carbon programmes and sustainable sourcing. As part of its green initiative, the organisers have placed top priority on ecological preservation, conserving resources and environmental friendliness. 

In the Yanqing Zone, one of three competition zones for the Olympic Winter Games, a series of environmental protective measures have been implemented in the construction of the new venues. 

This includes the transplanting of millions of trees in the mountains, to be replanted upon completion of venue construction. Experts from Beijing Forestry University conducted an ecological study to ensure an effective transplanting plan in the conservation area in order to protect the trees during the process. Measures include a management and monitoring system for the transplanted trees, and the organisers say that the survival rate of the transplanted trees is over 90 percent. Other measures include extensive topsoil stripping, preservation and reuse programmes for restoration purposes after the construction is complete. These and other sustainability initiatives ensure that ecological protection is one of the Organising Committee’s top priorities.

With the help of the State Grid Corporation of China, all Beijing 2022 venues will be powered by green electricity. Zhangjiakou is known for its rich resources in renewable energies, and much of the power consumption in the Chongli district, where all the Zhangjiakou venues are located, will be supplied from renewable energy resources by 2021.

One of Beijing 2022`s greatest legacies is the urban regeneration of the Shougang district, formerly an industrial complex which was relocated out of the city after Beijing 2008. Cooling towers have been transformed into Olympic venues, blast furnaces have become training centres, and an iron ore storage tower has become home to the Organising Committee. There are also plans for more sports leisure facilities, which will help to achieve the vision of engaging 300 million Chinese people with winter sports. 

Beijing will also re-use eight venues from the Olympic Games 2008 in its venue plan for the Olympic Winter Games 2022. Among these, the Water Cube will host the curling events, and the National Indoor Stadium will host ice hockey events. The Opening and Closing Ceremonies will take place once again at the Bird`s Nest.  

The Organising Committee launched a Sustainability Advisory Committee last year to support efforts in developing sustainable solutions as part of its drive to have environmentally friendly and sustainable Games.