Public opinion runs through the line| the Green Winter Olympics, here it comes

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What better place to be than right here, the site of the Winter Olympics. So guys, obviously, on the field trip in Zhangjiakou, that is a co-host for the 2022 Winter Olympics. And this is the site of the Winter Games. I wish I could show you what I'm looking at. So this sport is called ski jumping. As some of you may know, the snow is not there yet, but it will be by the time the Olympics that is in 100 days from here. What's unique about this place is that this is zero carbon, I mean, everything.

It is a great venue for the Winter Olympics. As you can see, I am visiting the Winter Olympic venues in Zhangjiakou, which is the co-organizer of the 2022 Winter Olympics. This is where the Winter Olympics are held. I want you to see everything in front of me. This sport is known as ski jumping. Some viewers may have noticed that it hasn't snowed yet, but it will be snowing 100 days from now when the Winter Olympics take place. What makes this place unique is that it is a zero carbon venue and all facilities are carbon-free.

All the electricity is powered by green electricity, from heating, from snow making machines, everything. The green electricity comes from rural areas that is about one hundred, two hundred kilometers from here, and from solar, from wind, from hydropower, and those electricity is stored and converted in power plants that we visited and sent over to this Olympic venue.

All the facilities here are powered by green electricity, from heating to snowmaking, everything is powered by green electricity. Green electricity comes from solar, wind, hydropower produced in rural areas about a hundred or two hundred kilometres away, which is converted and stored in the power plants we visited and then delivered to this Olympic venue.

This will be, in theory and in practice, the first zero carbon Winter Olympics. Super exciting. I can't wait for the games to start, but we know this is so dear to my heart, super exciting.

Both theoretically and practically, this will be the first Zero Carbon Winter Olympics. It's really exciting. I can't wait to see the Winter Olympics open. We all understand the importance of this Winter Olympics, which is very exciting.

Wang Guan: National Ski Jumping center, the site of the Winter Olympics. Professor Pan, welcome.

Crown: National Ski Jumping Center, the venue for the Winter Olympics. Professor Pan, you are welcome to be interviewed.

Professor Pan: Pleasure.

Prof. Pan Jiahua: It is a great honor.

Wang Guan: What’s low carbon about this place?

Crown: In what ways does this place embody low carbon?

Professor Pan:

Prof Pan Jiahua:

Low carbon is not an accurate description. It should be zero carbon. In many ways. Number one, energy. Here, all the energy is purely zero carbon electricity, you see, lighting, heating, transport… everything. You know, in northern China, heating is essential, particularly in the winter, Now in northern China, heating is from the burning of coal, the burning of gas, natural gas. And all these are very carbon intensive. And now here such a huge structure, we use zero carbon electricity. That means that in your room, your house, the buildings, your office and everywhere, zero carbon is not a problem.

No, the term "low carbon" is not accurate, it should be zero carbon. This is reflected in many ways. First, energy. All facilities here are powered by zero-carbon electricity, including lighting, heating, and transportation. Winter heating in northern China is important, mainly through coal and natural gas. The carbon footprint of these activities is significant. In such a huge building structure, we use zero-carbon electricity. This means that achieving zero carbon emissions is not a problem in your room, house, building, office, and anywhere.

Wang Guan:

crown:

Going green is a lot of work. For the first time in Olympic history, all six venues will be powered by renewables. That will cut carbon dioxide emissions by 3-hundred 20-thousand tons and cut the use of coal by 1-hundred 28-thousand tons.

Achieving green zero carbon is a daunting project. For the first time in Olympic history, all six venues are powered by renewable energy. This would reduce CO2 emissions by 320,000 tonnes and reduce coal use by 128,000 tonnes.

Legacy venues from the 2008 Summer Games have been converted for the winter events. For example, the famous Water Cube —the swimming pool that hosted multiple new world records — will become the “Ice Cube” for curling events.

The old venues for the 2008 Summer Olympics have been converted into Winter Olympic venues. For example, the famous Water Cube – a swimming venue with several new world records – will be the "Ice Cube" that hosts curling events.

A unique ice-making technology is used to cut harm to the ozone layer and lower energy use of refrigeration systems. That saves power by more than 30 percent.

The venue uses a unique ice-making technology designed to reduce the hazard to the ozone layer and reduce the energy consumption of the refrigeration system. This saves more than 30% of electricity consumption.

And over 85 percent of all vehicles serving the Beijing Olympics will be clean energy vehicles—another record.

More than 85% of the service vehicles of the Beijing Winter Olympics will be new energy vehicles, which is another record in the history of the Olympic Games.

Interview with Liu Xinping

Interview with Liu Xinping

There were many new measures and initiatives included in the bid to hold the green Winter Olympics. We innovated our working mechanism, and established a new standard in preparing for the Winter Olympics. This Beijing standard will provide a good model for the future work of the International Olympic Committee.

Our Winter Olympics actually have some new highlights and new initiatives in the green Winter Olympics. We have innovated in the working mechanism and model, and established the Beijing standard and the Beijing model, which will actually give some very good practice and demonstration to some of the work of the IOC Olympic Games.

We insisted on low carbon. Our priority was to protect the mountains and waters of the environment which was underlined in our general policy. In fact, this green policy was integrated into the planning, design and construction of the winter sports venues. To ensure protection of all plants and animals, we did an investigation before construction began of all the animals and plants in and near the area and each species was clearly marked and categorized. For example, if a plant needing protection was in the way of the track, we redesigned the track. During the construction of the Olympic Village, we worked to protect 127 plants in the area. We relocated plants near the venue or to other places that were similar to their previous habitats, so that they could continue to grow.

We insist on giving priority to ecology throughout the preparation process for the Winter Olympics. Green water and green mountains are fundamental, and ecological protection is the main line. These concepts are well practiced in the planning, design and construction of our venues. For the animals and plants to be protected by the venue, we did a background survey before the construction of the competition area, found out how many animals and plants need to be protected around the competition area, and built separate accounts for them. For example, if there is a plant on the track that needs to be protected, we will adjust the direction of the track slightly. During the construction of the Olympic Village, in order to protect the 127 plants in the Olympic Village area, we transplanted them to the vicinity of the venue or other places, and let them continue to grow in soil similar to their original growth environment.

We also set strict green standards in construction and each venue has these low-carbon initiatives in place. For example, in the construction of the new speed skating stadium, different parts were designed in different ways to reduce the use of building materials and resources.

During construction, we set strict standards. Each venue strictly implements these low-carbon initiatives. For example, our Avenue Speed Skating Hall is our new venue. In the design process, they use different design methods to reduce the use of these resources such as steel.

Through these green initiatives, we've also managed to drive the development of environmentally friendly technologies and models in the region. Because of these new ideas, great progress has been made in the Shougang, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou areas, such as the completion of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway, the improvement of the local air quality, and the building of environmentally-friendly watersheds.

Our green development concept is equivalent to promoting the development of local green technologies and models. Because of these new concepts, we have also gradually promoted the development and progress of Shougang, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou areas, such as the completion and opening of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway, the improvement of atmospheric environmental quality, and the construction of ecologically clean small watersheds.