For the first time in history, the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Games will use carbon dioxide (CO2) refrigeration systems in four of their ice sports training and competition venues.

The use of CO2 technology is gradually replacing hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), traditionally used to cool ice rinks but which have been shown to damage the earth's ozone layer or contribute to global warming.

The use of natural refrigerants such as CO2 at the Games will help reduce carbon emissions by an equivalent of 3,900 cars per year, bringing them almost to zero. A similar reduction in carbon emissions can be achieved by planting as much as 1.2 million trees.

The system also has a cooling efficiency 1.2 times higher than traditional HFC refrigerants and can maintain a constant temperature of 0.5 degrees Celsius or less on all frozen surfaces, making skating easier.

Four of the Beijing 2022 skating rinks will use CO2 systems: The National Speed ​​Skating Oval (speed skating), the Capital Indoor Stadium (short track), the Capital Short Track Speed ​​Skating training zone and the Wukesong Ice Hockey training area.

Three other runways, which were already existing locations, will instead use fourth-generation refrigerant R449, which is an HFC but with a relatively low global warming potential. These three rinks include venues for ice hockey (National Indoor Stadium and Wukesong Sports Center) and curling (the National Aquatics Center / Ice Cube).

In addition to the CO2 use, Beijing 2022 will also power all its venues with renewable energy and will use fuel-efficient and clean energy vehicles for all cars and 85% of all vehicles.

These carbon reduction measures are part of Beijing 2022's broader efforts to minimize the potential negative impacts of the Games, while increasing their positive influence on guests' social and economic development.