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Faster, higher, stronger greener
Sustainability at the 2012 London Olympics
International events with a global audience are an ideal vehicle
to promote sustainable development. In 1986 the President of the
International Olympic
Committee (IOC), Juan Antonio Samaranch, declared that the
environment was to be the third pillar of the Olympic movement
(sport and culture being the other two). The idea of making the
Olympic Games environmentally friendly began at the Rio Earth
Summit in 1992 and Agenda 21 (see textbook pages 104105, 206)
became an important element for the IOCs development of a
sustainable Olympics. In 1995 the Sport and Environment Commission
of the IOC was created. Seven years after the original Agenda 21
was adopted, the IOC created its own version on June 14 1999, in
Seoul, Korea. The Olympic Movement adopted the Agenda in October
1999 at the World Conference on Sport and Environment held in Rio
de Janeiro. The Programme of Action in the Agenda 21 adopted by the
Olympic Movement called for, among other things, improved
socio-economic conditions and the conservation and sustainable
management of resources. The Agenda proposed how the Games can
ensure sustainability through using renewable forms of energy (e.g.
solar power), closing down roads in and out of venues to reduce
pollution, and using the celebrity power of the sports men and
women to educate the public about environmental issues.
London 2012
Since its inception, the London 2012 Games has promoted itself
as the worlds first truly sustainable Games (a claim also made by
the Sydney Games). Londons vision for an environmentally friendly
games had been a central part of its 2005 bid, with the IOC
praising its strong emphasis on the integration of environmental
considerations ensuring maximum sustainability. London pledged
itself to an eco-agenda encompassing low-carbon sports venues,
biodiversity within the Olympic Park, low food-miles through use of
local food, and a self-sufficient athletes village. It is the aim
of London 2012 to provide a blueprint for how to run sustainable
sporting events in the future and in particular for Rio 2016.
Venues
Traditionally it is the venues themselves that create the
largest carbon footprint. The 2012 Olympic Stadium is the lightest
ever made, using one quarter of Beijings equivalent (where the 2008
Games were staged). The 12,000-seat basketball arena will be
deconstructed and used to help make other sporting venues,
therefore representing the ultimate in recyclability. The
Velodrome, where the cycling will take place, has an
ultra-lightweight roof and rainwater collection that will reduce
water consumption at
the Games. In addition, its wooden track has been certified by
the Forest Stewardship Council (verifying that it is from
sustainable sources). In April 2011 the Commission for Sustainable
London (CSL) reported that the Games were on track to reduce carbon
emissions by 50% by 2013, by, for example, using lower-carbon
cement and concrete. The Games also aim to recycle 90% of the
demolition material by weight, and Friends of the Earth report they
are on target to do this.
Transport
London 2012 also promoted itself as the public transport games
where 100% of spectators will arrive at the Games either by using
public transport, cycling, or walking. 75% of the Olympic visitors
will come by train. To help with this, 10 million has been invested
into new cycling and walking routes, and an incentive of free cycle
repair and maintenance at some venues. A water taxi and a 60
million cable car link across the river Thames next to the Olympic
park will transport 2,500 passengers an hour. In the construction
of the site, two-thirds of materials were transported to the site
by rail or river barge, limiting carbon emissions from burning
fossil fuels to bring it in by road.
Food
The 2005 bid promised to support consumption of local, seasonal
and organic produce, with reduced amount of animal protein and
packaging. This is something that had been pioneered in the UK by
the Eden project, in Cornwall, southwest England. Food packaging
will be made from compostable material where it cannot be reused or
recycled.
Sponsorship
The environmental ethos of the games has attracted sponsors to
financially support the Games, despite the economic recession. This
both promotes the sustainability agenda, as well as raising revenue
for the Games.
Legacy
The area of London where the Games is taking place Stratford and
the surrounding areas in Londons East End, has traditionally been
an area of low investment and urban decay. The regeneration of the
area through plans for the Olympic Park have gone a long way to
transforming the area from an industrial wasteland into an
attractive site where people can work and live. The site, which
will be renamed the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park following the
Games, will have 35 new bridges, walkways, train stations, housing,
and a 45 hectare wildlife habitat area, which will include 525 bird
boxes, 150 bat boxes, and wildlife refuges for otters, amphibians,
and other animals. There will be over 100 hectares of green open
spaces left after the games, with 6.5km of restored river and
canals.
Facts and Figures
Nearly 2 million tonnes of contaminated soil have been cleaned
to be reused on the Olympic Park.
An estimated 6.5 million people will attend the Games and will
generate over 3,300 tonnes of food package waste.
Venues will use low-flush toilets, rainwater harvesting (such as
in the Velodrome), and there will be a recycling plant that will
treat sewage water so that it can be used for park irrigation.
Overall, venues will use 40% less water because of these
measures.
The Olympic Stadium is projected to include 42% recycled
content.
All beef, pork and eggs at fast-food restaurants will be from
the UK and Ireland which will reduce air-miles travelled. All
chairs and tables from restaurants will be reused or recycled after
use.
74,000 plants, 4,000 trees, 60,000 bulbs, and 300,000 wetland
plants have been planted in the Olympic Park.
20% of the energy we use on the Olympic Park will be from
renewable sources.
2000 newts and hundreds of toads have been taken out of the
Olympic Park during construction.
90% of materials from the demolition of buildings in the Olympic
Park have been recovered so they can be reused or recycled.
Read more about how people are working to make the 2012 Games
sustainable here and here. Watch a video about the Green Games
here. Read an article evaluating London 2012s claims about
sustainability here.
Questions
1.The law requires that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
is carried out before any major development project. An EIA
estimates change to the environment that occurs as a result of a
project, and helps to decide whether the advantages outweigh the
disadvantages. Information about the EIA is contained within the
Environmental Statement for the games.
a)Define Environmental Impact Assessment[2 marks]
b)The EIA is structured so as to address the environmental
effects arising from the Scheme during its four distinct phases,
namely: Olympic and Paralympic Construction 20072011, Olympic and
Paralympic Games 2012, Olympic Legacy Transformation 20132014,
Olympic Legacy 20152021. In describing the significance of
environmental effects, a seven-point scale is used. Outline this
seven-point scale (use this site to help you).[1 mark]
c)Complete the table on the following page, which summarizes the
findings of the Olympic park EIA. Use the criteria outlined in the
Environmental Statement (the seven-point scale), which are used to
judge whether a project should go ahead or not.[7 marks]
Discuss within your class the outcomes of the EIA. Were any of
the findings surprising?
2.In May 2009, The Olympic Board stated that London 2012 will
have a clear policy for alleviating the impacts of manufacture,
supply, use and disposal of material for the 2012 Olympic Games.
The design of the Olympic Park will ensure that the environmental
impact is minimized. How will these aims be achieved? Produce a
poster summarizing the ways that sustainability will be attained at
the 2012 Olympics. Use the following sites to help you:
Atkins Global Sustainability
Atkins Global Case studies
A list of all the animals and plants found on the Olympic Park
site can be found here.
Your poster should contain as much material from the ESS
syllabus as possible (e.g. recycling, energy sources, water
resources, EIA, sustainable use of resources, etc.), be creative
and well presented.[10 marks]
Assessment period
Topic
20072011
2012
20132014
20152021
Traffic and transport
(Highways
(Public transport
(Walking and cycling
Energy
(Energy infrastructure
(Energy demand
(Carbon emissions
Soil conditions, groundwater, contamination
Water
(Water quality
(Aquatic ecology
(Hydrology
(Flood risk
Terrestrial ecology and nature conservation
Air quality
Electromagnetic effects
(Interference
(Radiation
Answers
1.A (detailed) study/investigation/survey required before a
major development, to examine environmental impact; suggest
appropriate monitoring; should include a baseline survey/study
Do not accept reference to a document without reference to a
survey or study.[2 max]
a)Major adverse; moderate adverse; minor adverse; neutral; minor
beneficial; moderate beneficial; major beneficial.[1 mark]
b)1 mark for each correct row.[7 marks]
Assessment period
Topic
20072011
2012
20132014
20152021
Traffic and transport
(Highways
(Public transport
(Walking and cycling
Minor adverse
Minor/moderate adverse
Neutral/minor beneficial
Moderate adverse
Neutral/minor adverse
Minor/moderate adverse
Neutral
Minor/moderate beneficial
Moderate beneficial
Neutral/minor beneficial
Neutral/minor beneficial
Major beneficial
Energy
(Energy infrastructure
(Energy demand
(Carbon emissions
Minor adverse
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Moderate beneficial
Neutral
Neutral
Minor beneficial
Minor beneficial
Neutral
Neutral
Minor beneficial
Soil conditions, groundwater, contamination
Major beneficial
Neutral
Minor adverse
Neutral
Water
(Water quality
(Aquatic ecology
(Hydrology
(Flood risk
Minor adverse
Minor adverse
Moderate adverse
Neutral
Neutral
Moderate beneficial
Minor adverse
Neutral
Minor adverse
Moderate beneficial
Minor adverse
Neutral
Minor beneficial
Moderate beneficial
Minor adverse
Neutral
Terrestrial ecology and nature conservation
Minor adverse
Minor adverse
Minor adverse
Minor beneficial
Air quality
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Neutral
Electromagnetic effects
(Interference
(Radiation
Minor adverse
Minor beneficial
Minor adverse
Minor beneficial
Minor adverse
Minor beneficial
Minor adverse
Minor beneficial
2.Mark the quality of the posters within your class. Marks
should be awarded for:
(covering as much of the syllabus as possible (5 points)
(creativity and flair (3 points)
(quality of the presentation (2 points).[10 max]
Total: [20 marks]
Improvements to this stretch of pathway will revitalize the
environment for locals who use it regularly and also for visitors
to the area.
The Olympic Park
The Olympic Park
Pearson Education Ltd 2012. For more information about the
Pearson Baccalaureate series please visit
www.pearsonbacconline.com. Photos Sue Webb
