CLIMATE CHANGE TO FORCE WINTER OLYMPICS CHANGES?

Climate change threatens Winter Olympics; Only six of the previous Winter Olympics host cities will be cold enough to reliably host the Games by the end of this century if global warming projections prove accurate.

January 23, 2014 (PhysOrg)

“Even with conservative climate projections, only 11 of the previous 19 sites could host the Games in the coming decades, according to [The Future of the Winter Olympics in a Warming World] from the University of Waterloo (Canada) and Management Center Innsbruck (Austria)…The study finds that internationally renowned Olympic sites, such as Squaw Valley (USA), Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Germany), Vancouver (Canada) and Sochi (Russia) would no longer have climates suitable to reliably host the Games by the middle of the 21st century. With additional warming projected for later decades of this century, as few as six former host locations would remain climatically suitable…[T]he average February daytime temperature of Winter Games locations has steadily increased – from 0.4°C at Games held in the 1920-50s, to 3.1°C in Games during the 1960-90s, and 7.8°C in Games held in the 21st century…The study found that the success of the Games is often partially attributed to favourable weather, while poor weather is highlighted as one of the greatest challenges…” click here for more

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