Greenpeace on Wednesday criticized the awarding of the 2029 Asian Winter Games to Saudi Arabia, denouncing as dangerous the kingdom's plans "to alter the ecosystems" of the region for the construction of a ski center in the middle of the desert. .

On Tuesday, the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) awarded the organization of this winter competition to Neom, a futuristic megacity under construction in the mountainous desert of Trojena, in the northwest of the oil-rich Gulf state.

Located 50 kilometers from the Red Sea coast, this mountainous area experiences temperatures that "drop below zero degrees in winter and temperatures throughout the year are typically 10 degrees cooler" than the rest of the world. countries, say its promoters on their website, without mentioning the issue of rainfall.

Trojena, which is expected to be completed in 2026, will include year-round ski slopes, an artificial freshwater lake, chalets, mansions and luxury hotels, according to the same source.


This is #TROJENA, the peak of innovation, technology, wellness and sustainable living.

https://t.co/A7q4uyPyFQ pic.twitter.com/6deMqm07Tp

— TROJENA (@NEOMTROJENA) September 9, 2022

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“Do we really need all this?

»

“You are changing an entire natural ecosystem (…) and this can even have repercussions on neighboring ecosystems,” warned Ahmad al-Droubi, a Greenpeace official for the North Africa and Middle East region. .

“This project will have to be supplied with constant water, which means that it will use huge amounts of energy over the long term,” he said.

And to add: “And even if it will be supplied with renewable energies, it is a waste of energy.

»

Neom is a multi-hundred-billion-dollar complex spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman that is trying to project an environmentally friendly image for the kingdom, the world's largest oil exporter.

“Do we really need all this?

asked Ahmed el-Droubi.

“Excessive development and construction consumes vast amounts of energy and spreads huge amounts of emissions that perpetuate the climate crisis,” he added.

The Asian Winter Games include competitions in skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey and figure skating, totaling 47 events, including 28 on snow and 19 on ice, according to the OCA.

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