Managing the Carbon Footprint for the Games

Winter sports and the Olympic Winter Games depend on snow and ice, and are particularly vulnerable to the effects of global warming — rising snow levels, receding glaciers and more variable weather systems. Large sporting events like the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games contribute to global warming by using considerable energy to heat buildings, make snow, freeze ice sheets and sliding tracks, power equipment and transport people and goods. These actions all generate “carbon” emissions otherwise known as greenhouse gases.

The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) takes responsibility for carbon emissions generated by the 2010 Winter Games by implementing a carbon management program based on the following four objectives:

1. Know how much carbon the Games are emit and publicly track and report on it
2. Reduce as many emissions as possible in Games-based construction and operations through energy conservation and the use of fuel and energy sources that produce low or no carbon emissions
3. Neutralize by offsetting carbon emissions that cannot be reduced or eliminated by investing in projects that remove an equivalent amount of emissions from the atmosphere
4. Inspire others to act by using the 2010 Winter Games experience to increase awareness of and participation in emerging solutions to climate change.

Some of the emissions generated by the Games are under an organizing committee’s direct control. In VANOC’s case we will emit an estimated 100,000 tonnes of direct carbon emissions from all of our activities since 2003 through to the end of the 60-day period of the 2010 Winter Games . Examples of our direct emissions include: the transportation fleet operated by VANOC and the venue construction done by VANOC in preparation for the Games. Other emissions associated with the Games are outside of VANOC’s control and are therefore considered indirect emissions. Examples of indirect emissions include an estimated 200,000 tonnes of emissions from travel to and from the Games regions by spectators and other Games participants.

Getting to know our footprint

There is no recipe book for carbon-emission management associated with a complex multi-sport event such as an Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. To determine the carbon footprint of the Games, we relied on a 2007 preliminary carbon emissions forecast prepared for VANOC by the David Suzuki Foundation and reviewed by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The independent forecast predicted that the Games would produce an estimated 110,000 tonnes of direct carbon emissions and 220,000 tonnes of indirect emissions. We are continuing to refine this estimate based on more detailed planning; our target is now set at 300,000 tonnes.

Where are we right now? Reduce-Reduce-Reduce

Our focus has been to avoid carbon emissions by reducing emissions from their source as much as possible. We have reduced the anticipated carbon emissions from our operations through transportation planning, efficient office operations, green venue design and construction, fleet vehicle management and power planning. Examples of where VANOC and our partners have achieved reductions include:

• Strategic venue site selection with two compact clusters of villages and venues in Vancouver and Whistler that have all been built to minimize energy and travel requirements.

• Innovative approaches to energy management featured in 2010 venues, including The Whistler Sliding Centre, include the harvesting and reuse of waste heat energy from ice refrigeration plants and the replacement of diesel generators with cleaner hydro power.

• Creation of new community energy systems that will increase the amount of renewable energy available to meet local demand at the Olympic and Paralympic Villages in Whistler and Vancouver.

• Emphasis on travelling smart with expanded public transit during the 2010 Winter Games in order to reduce fuel use and carbon emissions.

To learn more about our efforts to reduce, visit our sustainability reports and links at vancouver2010.com/sustainability.

Offsetting Carbon Emissions

The 2010 Winter Games will be the first Games to embrace the challenge of offsetting its carbon footprint from the start of planning after the bid was won until the close of operations after the Games are over.

Even though we’ve worked hard to reduce carbon emissions, staging an Olympic Games will generate a significant amount. To take responsibility for emissions that we are unable to eliminate or reduce, VANOC has secured the first carbon offset sponsor for an Olympic and Paralympic Games. Direct emissions from the Games will be offset by the BC-based carbon management company Offsetters, using carbon reduction projects that remove or avoid an equivalent amount of emissions.

For carbon offsets to be effective, the projects offset must produce real, measurable reductions to emissions that would not have occurred without additional funding. Emission reductions from offset projects must be also verified by independent third parties.

In order to deliver a comprehensive and rigorous offset program, Offsetters will provide a unique and high-quality 2010 Winter Games carbon offset portfolio created from projects featuring BC-based clean technologies, as well as International Gold Standard offset credits*. These projects will not only supply carbon offset credits for the Games but will showcase clean technology solutions and create a continuing legacy of carbon emission reductions long after the Games have concluded. To learn more about Offsetters and their support for the carbon management program for the 2010 Winter Games, visit Offsetters.ca.

The Legacy

Global warming remains a major challenge to all of us and there is great interest among our athletes, partners and sponsors in making climate solutions a legacy of our Games. In addition to our own reduction initiatives, we want to create a legacy of enhanced awareness about how people touched by the 2010 Winter Games can take action to address climate change.

The greatest legacy of the 2010 Winter Games could be an increased awareness of climate change and a shift in public behaviour to address it – our Games will highlight the small changes everyone can make to offset their impact on the environment in the long term.

Do Your Part

Everyone has a role to play… make a pledge to help reduce the Games carbon footprint. Learn more andshow your support: visit www.offsetters.ca (Olympic calculator).

*High-quality offset projects, often found in developing countries as per the Kyoto protocol see www.cdmgoldstandard.org/

NOTE: VANOC publicly tracks and reports on all Games-related carbon emissions in our annual sustainability report and published three sustainability reports to date.