The Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games organizing committee (VANOC) signed an agreement Monday with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to enhance environmental performance at the 2010 Games and increase public awareness of the importance of environmental protection and sustainable development.
Vancouver 2010 has agreed to commit to building on the success of past Olympic Games organizing committees which signed Memoranda of Understanding with UNEP and to leave a lasting legacy in the host communities of Vancouver and Whistler, the province of British Columbia, Canada, and beyond; and to provide innovative ways to organize major events that minimize their environmental footprints before, during and after the Games.
Under the new agreement UNEP and VANOC will work together to develop and deliver environmental education and raise public awareness of environmental opportunities and issues in conjunction with the 2010 Winter Games.
UNEP may advise VANOC on environmental issues, including green house gas missions, ozone-friendly chemicals, waste management and “green procurement”. UNEP and VANOC will work together to inspire action on national and international environmental goals.
Under the agreement VANOC will support and participate in certain UNEP events and initiatives such as World Environment Day and a global forum on sport and the environment.
The agreement comes shortly after the 7th World Conference on Sport and the Environment that took place in Beijing Oct. 25-27. At the conference IOC President Jacques Rogge confirmed that VANOC will host the next World Conference on Sport and the Environment in the spring of 2009.
