Partners of 2010 Winter Games join forces to help make Canada’s Games carbon neutral

Nov 3, 2009--On the eve of the 100-day countdown to the Games, 25 partners of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are among the first to join forces in an ambitious effort to leave Canada and the world an environmental legacy of carbon neutral Games in 2010, including offsetting air travel for Olympians and Paralympians.

The partners, including corporate sponsors, governments and broadcasters, have volunteered to offset some of their own carbon emissions related to the Games; such as emissions generated by delegations travelling to and from the Games region.

These partners will invest in a portfolio of British Columbia clean energy technology projects, as well as international Gold Standard offset projects. The 2010 Legacy Portfolio is developed and managed by Vancouver-based Offsetters, the Official Supplier of Carbon Offsets for the 2010 Winter Games, in partnership with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC).
The energy efficiency and renewable energy projects will help offset a newly updated forecast of 268,000 tonnes of carbon emissions — 118,000 tonnes from direct emissions and 150,000 tonnes from indirect emissions resulting from Games-time travel by participants and spectators.

This updated estimate, prepared by the Centre for Sustainability and Social Innovation at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, was released today by VANOC at a breakfast event called “2010 Talks Carbon.” It reflects Games operational efficiencies and more accurate data on participants and spectators.

In 2007, preliminary estimate prepared by the David Suzuki Foundation and reviewed by PricewaterhouseCoopers suggested the Games would produce approximately 330,000 tonnes (110,000 direct, 220,000 indirect) of carbon emissions.

“We’re excited to announce that 25 of our partners are helping us make the 2010 Winter Games carbon neutral and we expect more to join in the near future,” said Linda Coady, VANOC’s vice president of sustainability. “What’s more, athletes at the Games will be the first carbon neutral athletes in Olympic and Paralympic history — the result of our partnership with Offsetters —where the travel and accommodation of close to 7,000 athletes, coaches and officials will be offset as part of the Games’ direct carbon footprint.”

Source: Vancouver Olympics

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