The CBC reports Vancouver 2010 is looking to spectators travelling to the Olympic Winter Games to help with carbon offsets for the estimated 268,000 tons of emissions the Games will be responsible for.
Spectators travelling to Vancouver to attend the Winter Games will be responsible for almost half of the carbon footprint, 130,000 tons, and organizers say they would encourage Games tourists to buy carbon offsets to balance the environmental impact of their travel.
VANOC corporate sustainability officer Ann Duffy said, “because of the nature of individuals taking responsibility for where they want to travel, we’re trying to make it easy”, reports the CBC. Duffy said the hope is that “people include this in some of their decisions to travel and enjoy the Games”.
Tourists are directed to a VANOC-sanctioned website called offsetters.ca, as one place where they could calculate and pay for their carbon offsets. The website acts as a brokerage, connecting individuals and corporations to offset projects to which they can contribute, reports the CBC.
Vancouver 2010 organizers said they would only take responsibility for offsetting the estimated 118,000 tons of direct emissions from the Games that have been generated by venue construction and athletes’ travel. Duffy said, “one has to draw the line somewhere. We’re doing some heavy lifting in terms of covering the footprint for our direct operations”.
According to the CBC, VANOC anticipates that sponsors and governments will pick up the offset costs for the estimated 20,000 tons of carbon emissions not paid for by organizers and Games’ tourists.
