– London 2012 Games Would Renew Inner City Communities and Address Urban Living Problems
Leading international experts have strongly endorsed London’s plans to use the Olympic and Paralympic Games as a catalyst for addressing important urban and inner city living concerns including climate change and water management as visionary and innovative.
Using the theme ‘Towards a One Planet Olympics,’ the London 2012 Olympic Games Bid links the staging of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in London to the creation of stronger inner city communities through sport, the environment and health.
The Bid’s plans involve low carbon and zero waste strategies as a comprehensive approach to tackling climate change issues.
These include the creation of a new Olympic Park and much needed new sporting venues in east London which will provide the best possible conditions and facilities for athletes, including healthy, energy efficient buildings that will be ‘climate-proofed’ to minimise greenhouse emissions.
“Environmental excellence will go hand in hand with sporting performance at the London 2012 Olympic Games,” said Bid chairman and Olympian, Sebastian Coe.
The new Olympic Park will also transform the surrounding east London neighbourhoods, which include some of the poorest and most physically deprived areas of the United Kingdom, into a sustainable new urban quarter for the capital for with sport at its heart, just six miles from central London.
London Bid officials worked closely with many environmental and sustainable development organisations and experts from around the world – in particular WWF and BioRegional – to develop the plans, regarded by international experts as a model for tackling common inner city and urban community problems.
“London’s adoption of ‘One Planet Olympics’ will deliver a great Games and a better London; it will inspire and guide other mega-cities on how to deal with the emerging environmental and social challenges, and be proof of the Olympic Movement’s desire to be an agent of change,“ said Peter Ottesen, former manger of the highly acclaimed environment programmed for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, also known as the Green Games.
The support from leading international environment experts for the London Olympic Bid coincides with the build up of activities this week to mark World Environment Day next Sunday, June 5.
Other environment highlights of London’s Olympic-related regeneration include:
– Creation of the largest urban park in Europe for 150 years
– More than 120 hectares of high quality new greenspace
– 6km of restored river corridor in the east London Olympic Park area
– 66% increase in publicly accessible open space
– Integrated energy, waste and water services and infrastructure to improve living conditions and inward business investment in the Olympic Park district
The international environment experts from South Africa, Japan, Canada, Ukraine, Greece and other countries, believe London’s plans could help to confirm the Olympic Movement as the catalyst for setting new standards for sustainable development.
Tzila Katzel, Senior Project Manager IUCN South Africa
(Former Lead Project Manager, Greening the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, 2002), said:
“The One Planet Olympics approach of London 2012 is a pioneering initiative that shifts current sentiments of the ‘modern city’. The initiative forces the public to rethink the sustainability of the urban environment and provides strategies and principles for alternative, successful, responsible living.”
Tatsuo Okada, Ph.D., Executive Director, NPO Global Sports Alliance
Tokyo, Japan, said:
“In the age of environmental degradation, time has come for all of us who love sports to join forces in developing the new lifestyle to enrich natural environment. Therefore, I believe, London 2012’s One Planet Olympics Initiative is so important.”
Note to Editors:
Statements of support for the London 2012 Olympic Games Bid Environment Sustainability Plans from international experts follows below.
For further Information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)2070935100 or Jackie Brock-Dole +44 (0)7867 504852/Michael Pirrie +44 (0)7867 504856
Or visit the London Bid website at http://www.london2012.com/
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What a One Planet Olympics means to me: support statements for London 2012
Peter Ottesen
Chairman, Banksia Environmental Foundation, Australia
[Formerly Programme Manager, Environment
Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games 2000 and adviser to the Beijing Olympic Games Bid Committee]
“Host cities have a responsibility and opportunity to create legacies that go beyond just a few weeks of Olympic and Paralymic sporting action. London 2012’s adoption of “One Planet Olympics” with environmental considerations integrated into Games’ planning and delivery, and with consideration of the future, is to be commended for the leadership it displays.
It will deliver a great Games and a better London; it will inspire and guide other mega-cities on how to deal with the emerging environmental and social challenges, and be proof of the Olympic Movement’s desire to be an agent of change.“
Tzila Katzel
Senior Project Manager IUCN South Africa
Former Lead Project Manager
[Greening the World Summit on Sustainable Development,
Johannesburg, 2002]
“The One Planet Olympics approach of London 2012 is a pioneering initiative that shifts current sentiments of the ‘modern city’. The initiative forces the public to rethink the sustainability of the urban environment and provides strategies and principles for alternative, successful, responsible living.
The legacy of London 2012’s One Planet Olympic strategy is that it charts a path for sustainable city living, and attempts to reverse the notion that the modern city is unsustainable. The beauty of this initiative is that it is couched within the fundamental principles of Olympism, specifically the quest for a peaceful society and preserved human dignity.”
Tatsuo Okada, Ph.D.
Executive Director, NPO Global Sports Alliance
Tokyo, Japan http://www.gsa.or.jp/
It is so obvious that sport cannot be enjoyed without a healthy environment. But we seem to forget what cleans the air and water around us. That is why I always ask people “Do you know what cleans the air?” The answer is the natural ecosystem on this planet.
In the age of environmental degradation, time has come for all of us who love sports to join forces in developing the new lifestyle to enrich natural environment. Therefore, I believe, London 2012’s One Planet Olympics Initiative is so important.
Pavlos Doikos
Environmental Scientist
Research Associate
University of the Aegean, Greece
London 2012’s commitment to sustainable Olympic Games through the “One Planet Olympics” programme creates new standards across the world for green sport events.
Under this wide-scope initiative, London 2012 shows how sports can become a real driver for sustainable development and better quality of life at an international scale. I fully endorse the One Planet Olympics programme by London 2012 and I wish that this is just the beginning for “One Planet” thinking and acting in all human activities.
Maria Strandberg
Director of Research and Development
Scandinavian Turfgrass Research Foundation
The Olympics is one of the largest peace projects in the world. With the One Planet Olympics concept, London 2012 can make people aware that sustainable development is one of the most important prerequisites for worldwide peace and the wellbeing of people and the planet.
The One Planet Olympics will make London 2012 an Olympic city with a good and healthy living environment and with preserved and developed natural and cultural heritages. London 2012 One Planet Olympics strategy will be a pattern for other urban areas all over the world, facing great challenges attempting to be ecologically sound and socially balanced.
George KAZANTZOPOULOS
Vice President, Hellenic Institute for Environmental Management [Formerly General Manager, Environment Athens 2004 Organising Committee for the Olympic Games]
These days, society as well as the Olympic Movement needs actions rather than just ideas when it comes to sustainability.
In this respect, London 2012’s One Planet Olympics is a thoughtful action plan touching upon all the parameters for both the short-term hosting of a large scale event in an environmentally friendly way, and planning ahead for a long lasting legacy. In this way, Olympic and Paralympic Games can bring benefit for future generations.
The fact that the concept is shared with valued representatives of the civic society locally and worldwide, gives the reassurance that tangible results will be seen and a step towards sustainability will be made.
Eleni Maglara
Director of European Programmes
Municipality of Amaroussion, Greece
Olympic Games present a great challenge for the host city; for development and regeneration, and at the same time preserving and improving the environment.
As the city that hosted the Olympic Sports Complex, where most of the Olympic Games 2004 took place, and the first local authority in Greece that started the implementation of Local Agenda 21 back in 1995, Amaroussion gained a valuable experience as to how the Olympic Games are linked and actually contribute to sustainable development. Two of the main elements are the increase of public awareness and the development of partnerships at all levels, both essential ingredients of London 2012’s “One Planet Olympics”.
I fully support this innovative initiative launched by London 2012 and I strongly believe that, by adding on the existing experience, it will help in making further steps and finally achieve the first truly sustainable Games.
Colin Dimitroff
Principal, Corporate Sustainable Solutions, URS Australia
[Formerly Manager, Games Environmental Operations
Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games 2000]
“London 2012 is poised to set a new standard in urban sustainability. Its comprehensive One Planet Olympics concept defines a delivery strategy for a sustainable Olympics with a focus on the key challenge for any Olympic City: the absolute need to establish and deliver a sound business case for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games – the measure of a truly sustainable Olympics.
London 2012’s One Planet Olympics has the potential to interface with the Olympic Movement’s environmental and social sustainability initiatives and in doing so provides further direction to bidding cities. When proven successful in 2012, it will further consolidate the Olympic Movement as a global agent for change.”
Achim Steiner
Director General
IUCN – The World Conservation Union
“We need to find ways of living within the available resources on Earth – adopting the concept of One Planet Living. Global events like the Olympics, with their power to inspire and unify, offer an unparalleled opportunity to communicate this message to people around the world, changing people’s hearts and minds, and ultimately the footprint of the global events on our planet.”
Carol Carmichael, PhD
Director
Institute for Sustainable Technology and Development
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta
The London 2012 “One Planet” Olympics concept is brilliant—it creates a grand teachable moment on sustainability. As an Olympic city, London will demonstrate a broader vision for the Olympic movement by seizing the opportunity to create a highly visible model for sustainable community design. The “One Planet” Olympics plan provides a blueprint for such a design, and adds an essential element that is the foundation for a high quality of life.
The juxtaposition of sustainability with sports also addresses one of the other challenges to engaging people in more sustainable lifestyles: it makes sustainability fun. We need exciting projects like this to focus the imagination of leaders today and tomorrow on the essential work of creating a more prosperous and sustainable society.
Natasha Goriup, Director of Operations, Fieldfare International, Ukraine
“The great thing about the London 2012 bid is that it will restore a large amount of natural habitat in the Thames river floodplain – just as we are doing in Ukraine, Romania, Moldova and Bulgaria along the Lower Danube Green Corridor.
This is an imaginative environmental programme in its legacy plan, and I am very happy to see that the Olympic movement and organisations like WWF are starting to work together. I think every bid from 2012 on will combine sport and environmental protection – both keep us healthy!”
Michael Schlup, Director Gold Standard, Basle
“By using the Gold Standard criteria for its offsets the London Olympic campaign demonstrates that it is dedicated to promote innovative solutions for a better quality of life here and in the developing countries, where Gold Standard energy projects will help to improve access to cleaner energy and help improve livelihoods – to the benefit of the planet’s climate.”
David Crawford
Environmental Specialist, 1999 Pan American Games
Environment Programme Co-Chair, 2002 North American Indigenous Games
Inclusivity & Sustainability Advisor, 2002 Salt Lake City and 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committees
“An important and intended consequence of the London 2012 Olympic Bid is to demonstrate in a practical manner how sustainable development can be applied to every day decision-making. The One Planet Olympics concept capitalises on this unique opportunity.
Future Olympic bid cities, especially those in developing countries, should pay special to this concept. When the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics successfully demonstrated the link between sustainable development and the Olympic bidding process, many countries in the developing world viewed this new focus on the environment as yet another obstacle to host the Olympic Games. London 2012’s recipe for sustainable success is both a strategic and simple solution, which can be replicated to overcome this perceived obstacle. London 2012 has clearly raised the bar with its One Planet Olympics concept not only for the 2012 Olympics, but for all future Olympic Games because it has successfully addressed the interrelationship between sport, society and sustainability.”