Effects of climate change on outdoor skating in the Bei Hai Park of Beijing and related adaptive strategies

Abstract

This paper reports findings derived from a study of the impacts of climate change on winteroutdoor skating activities in the Chinese park of Bei Hai from 1989 to 2015. Based on field observationdata and in-depth interviews, it was concluded that the outdoor skating activities, with a history ofmore than 1000 years, are being threatened by the warming climate. The opening dates and durationtimes of skating over the last 26 years showed periodic variations over three-year cycles. Increases oftemperatures by 1 °C in December were associated with a 3.80-day delay in the skating-field openingdates and a 4.49-day decrease in the operation duration times. In particular, climate change hasresulted in a loss of the skating field area and a reduction in the operation duration times, and touristsare moving north for skating-related recreation or conducting alternative activities. The currentadaptive strategies are not very effective.