VOA新闻杂志2022--报道称气候变化威胁冬奥会冰雪运动

Report: Climate Change Threatens Winter Olympics, Snow Sports‘

Experts warn that climate change is threatening the Winter Olympics and the future of snow sports.

Warmer 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.

The Games will be the first Winter Olympics to use almost 100 percent artificial¹ snow. More than 400 snow making machines are being used to cover the ski area.

The 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 Boulder², Colorado.

The Beijing organizing committee has released³ its own report. It said the Games' "smart snowmaking system" could use 20 percent less water than traditional methods.

The 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.

The research noted⁴ 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.

Climate change is also reducing the number of places that can host the Winter Games.

"The risk is clear: man-made warming is threatening the long-term future of winter sports," the report said.

There have been 21 hosts of the Winter Olympics since the 1924 Games at the French resort⁵ of Chamonix. Researchers estimated⁶ that, by 2050, only 10 will have the "climate suitability" and natural snowfall levels to host the event.

Chamonix 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."

Words in This Story

artificial — adj. not natural; created or manufactured⁷ by people

host — n. an organization, group or country that holds an event and provides all of the things needed to make the even safe and enjoyable

suitable — adj. having the qualities that are right or needed for some purpose

unreliable — adj. not able to be depended upon; not likely to provide what is needed or promised

1 artificial   

adj.人工的，人造的，人为的；做作的，假装的

参考例句：

• The new dam will form a large artificial lake behind it.新筑的水坝将会在后面形成一个人工湖。
• We don't use any artificial flavourings in our products.我们的产品不使用任何人工调味剂。

2 boulder   

n.巨砾；卵石，圆石

参考例句：

• We all heaved together and removed the boulder.大家一齐用劲，把大石头搬开了。
• He stepped clear of the boulder.他从大石头后面走了出来。

3 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 resort   

n.凭借，手段，常去之地，胜地；vi.求助，诉诸，采取（某种手段等），常去

参考例句：

• He couldn't have passed the exam without resort to cheating.他要不是靠作弊是通不过这次考试的。
• Beidaihe is noted for its summer resort.北戴河以避暑胜地而著称。

6 estimated   

adj．根据估计的

参考例句：

• She estimated the breadth of the lake to be 500 metres. 她估计湖面大约有500米宽。
• The man estimated for the repair of the car. 那人估算了修理汽车的费用。

7 manufactured   

adj.人造的v.（大规模）制造( manufacture的过去式和过去分词 )；捏造；加工；粗制滥造（文学作品）

参考例句：

• a news story manufactured by an unscrupulous journalist 一位不道德的记者编造的一篇报道
• We want the machine manufactured to our own spec. 我们要求这台机器按我们自己的规格来制造。