On 18 January 2022, the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-PRC Regional Knowledge Sharing Initiative (RKSI) held an online seminar titled “From the City to the Mountains: Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Elements in Beijing 2022 Master Plan and Venue Techs”. ACC representative was invited to attend the seminar online.

The seminar was co-chaired by Ms. Marzia Mongiorgi Lorenzo, Head of Economics and Strategy Unit of the ADB-PRC Resident Mission (PRCM), and Mr. Hsiao Chink (Benzhe) Tang, Head of ADB-RKSI. The keynote speaker was Mr. Zhang Li, Dean and Professor of the School of Architecture of Tsinghua University and Chief Planner of Zhangjiakou Competition Zone of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Professor Zhang introduced the contents and considerations of the master plan of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics related to the use of clean energy, utilisation of water resources and infrastructure construction based on three subjects, namely Beijing’s urban development history, planning of the three major competition zones, and venue technologies. He also elaborated on environmental protection, scientific and technological innovation, cultural heritage protection, use of venues after the event, employment promotion, as well as the SDG elements revealed in the process. For example, the Big Air Shougang is the first competition venue directly combined with the reuse of industrial heritage in the history of Winter Olympics. During the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, more than 700 hydrogen-fueled buses will be used in Yanqing and Zhangjiakou Competition Zones. The National Ski Jumping Centre will become an outdoor sports place for people to carry out winter skiing and summer hiking after the games. He said that Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will show the world an image of China that is more open, respectful of nature, attaching more importance to sustainable development and is more willing to share with the world.

During the seminar, a promotional video on ADB’s participation in biodiversity conservation was played. Professor Zhang Li also interacted with online participants.