Ski resorts currently under construction in Chongli County, Zhangjiakou City
Looking at the current geographical distribution of ski resorts in Beijing, most are located near water sources, which has contributed to the accelerated loss of surface water to some extent. The large-scale water usage of Beijing’s ski resorts has directly led to an increasingly serious issue of competition between ski resorts and residents for water. Beijing is a city facing water scarcity. In June this year, the Beijing Water Authority released draft local standards including the “Water Quota for Ski Resorts,” marking the first time that water usage limits have been set for high-water-consumption industries such as ski resorts. These measures include prohibiting large-scale artificial snowmaking outside of ski runs, keeping snow depth controlled below 15–30 cm, requiring outdoor ski resorts to build facilities for collecting and utilizing meltwater and rainwater, and restoring vegetation on ski runs during non-operational periods.
Skiing is an important leisure and vacation activity for the people of Beijing. On one hand, from the perspective of sustainable resource development, it is reasonable to effectively limit the large-scale water usage of Beijing’s ski resorts. On the other hand, from the perspective of people’s livelihoods, the construction of ski resorts in Beijing reflects social demand and is related to the improvement of people’s happiness index. The existence of ski resorts should not be completely denied simply due to water shortages. The key lies in how to impose scientific restrictions to reduce resource consumption.
Regarding the current situation of ski resorts in Beijing, the following two approaches can be taken to effectively alleviate excessive water usage:
The first is to effectively control the number of newly built ski resorts and plan their locations rationally. For new ski resorts in Beijing, relevant government departments should work together with industry experts to develop scientific plans, and the locations of ski resorts should be chosen as far away from water sources as possible. At the same time, there should be planned and controlled allocation of land approvals to avoid a surge in water usage caused by a significant increase in the number of ski resorts in Beijing.
The second is to use new snowmaking technologies to fundamentally resolve the current conflict between Beijing’s ski resorts and water resources. It is reported that the New Snow Country Ski Resort, currently under construction in Chongli County, Zhangjiakou City, has independently developed an artificial ambient-temperature snow technology. Different from the refrigeration-based snowmaking technology widely used around the world, this ambient-temperature snow possesses physical characteristics extremely similar to real snow. It can blend with real snow or be used alone, and its friction coefficient is the same as that of natural snow. In terms of environmental protection, ambient-temperature artificial snow can withstand temperatures up to 1,000 degrees Celsius and has a lifespan of thousands of years, thereby greatly reducing the water resources required for refrigeration-based snowmaking. Previously, the New Snow Country Ski Resort had submitted a PCT application for this ambient-temperature artificial snow technology, and international experts gave high praise: “We cannot find any similar technology. Thank you for creating a brand-new lifestyle for humanity.”
In fact, the issue of Beijing’s ski resorts is just like other societal issues related to energy and resources—finding a balance is essential. Although finding that balance is quite challenging, there is one principle that is easy to grasp: when consumption becomes depletion, and when the pursuit of a high quality of life begins to threaten basic survival, the main contradiction must be addressed. If residents are already struggling to access water, what is the meaning of maintaining ski resorts?