Report reveals all- around success of Beijing 2022
A total of 346 million people have participated in winter sports across China since 2015. The number embodies the great effect of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 to drive people’s enthusiasm for winter sports, according to an official report.
The seven years of preparations for the event has also propelled the development of the areas in and around the co- host cities of Beijing and neighboring Hebei province’s Zhangjiakou, and promoted coordinated development in transport infrastructure, environmental protection, industrial growth and public services, the report said.
Winter sports venues and facilities in China have seen a significant increase, especially after the preparations for Beijing 2022. It also noted that the success of Beijing 2022 cannot be evaluated in such a short- term period as the event will play a continuous role in facilitating the Fitness- For- All program and promoting the building of a healthy China.
The report, named the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 Legacy Report ( post- Games), was compiled by the Beijing organizing committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and Beijing Sport University, and released on Feb 1.
It offers practical solutions for how to make better use of the Games’ legacies in seven chapters, covering the popularization of winter sports, postGames use of Olympic venues, ice and snow industry growth, host city development, construction of the Beijing- Zhangjiakou Sports, Cultural and Tourism Belt, and cultural and social developments.
Another report released on the same day to summarize the sustainable practices adopted by the Beijing 2022 Games, Sustainability for the Future — Beijing 2022 Post- Games Sustainability Report, demonstrates the measures carried out to reduce the carbon footprint of the Beijing 2022 Games. They include the renovated green Games venues, hydrogen- fueled torches and the carbon- reducing refrigeration systems.
The Beijing 2022 Games also accelerated the regional development of Beijing and Zhangjiakou and at the same time, the ecological environment of the two cities was boosted significantly, the report said.
Transportation facilities such as the Beijing- Zhangjiakou High- Speed Railway and the Beijing- Chongli Expressway guaranteed efficient and safe travel among the three competition zones.
Energy- efficient and clean energy vehicles accounted for 85% of all the vehicles used in the area. The average concentration of major airborne fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, declined 63% and 59% in Beijing and Zhangjiakou respectively compared to that of 2013.
The 2022 Winter Olympics also introduced biodegradable tableware and other disposables, which reduced excessive use of non- degradable plastics, the report said.
Besides, winter sports and green energy industries witnessed great momentum. The landmark showcases generated during the event, such as the urban regeneration project in the Shougang area, Zhangjiakou winter resort city and Yanqing year- round tourism destination, have become high- quality models in urban development.
The Beijing 2022 Games
— as the first Olympic Winter Games that fully implemented the sustainability requirements of the Olympic Agenda 2020 from preparation to delivery — have created precious Olympic legacies and set an invaluable precedent for large- scale events, which has been highly recommended by the international community, Fu Xiaohui, secretary- general of the Beijing Olympic City Development Association, said at a news conference on Feb 1.
After the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, Beijing has become the first city in the world to hold both Summer and Winter Olympic Games. In the future, the city will play a bigger role in driving a healthier lifestyle across the nation and propelling the high- quality development of the city, Fu said.