11 April 2011, London, UK: The Commission for a Sustainable London 2012, the independent body established to assure and monitor the sustainability of the London 2012 Games, has today published its Annual Review, titled Game changing?
The Review finds that overall, London 2012 is on track to deliver unprecedented levels of sustainability. If the ambitious but achievable targets set by the ODA and LOCOG are met, the London Games will be a step closer to meeting the ultimate ambition of holding the first truly sustainable Games.
However, with less than 500 days to go, the Commission urges all involved parties to remain committed to hosting a sustainable Games, and to ensuring a sustainable post-Games legacy.
Shaun McCarthy, Chair of the Commission for a Sustainable London 2012, said: "We are incredibly close to our ultimate goal of a sustainable Games, which would make London 2012 a unique entry in the annals of Olympic and Paralympic history. Our concerns now are focused on whether this momentum can be maintained into the Games period itself and beyond to a lasting legacy. The lessons we’ve learnt need to be captured for posterity."
McCarthy added: "It’s clear at this stage that it’s far more important to set targets based on results, rather than methodology, which means focusing on issues like carbon reduction over renewable energy development."
Key findings from the Commission’s Annual Review include:
Carbon Emissions: The Commission is reasonably confident that the carbon targets will be achieved but this will not be through renewable energy production at the Park. The Commission supports the ODA and LOCOG's alternative plans to meet their carbon reduction targets; however, there are lessons to be learnt regarding the viability of urban renewable electricity generation and the need for long-term planning when contracting for energy infrastructure.
Sustainable Community: Good community initiatives are in place but the Commission has concerns that these may wither away after the Games unless the momentum is continued. The ODA and LOCOG remain committed to tackling equality and diversity in their workforces but will need government-funded employment and skills initiatives to continue.
Making a difference: The Commission has seen good progress from the ODA on the learning legacy of the Games. We are delighted to see that the ODA's procurement standards will be adopted by government. The Commission has recommended that BS 8901, which was inspired by London 2012, should be adopted for all public events to make them more sustainable.
Sustainable Infrastructure: The Commission is pleased to see that a sustainable legacy is being supported via green space, transport, walking and cycling routes. The energy infrastructure is good by today's standards, but is not future-proof. The OPLC needs to continue to take up the challenge to provide sustainable infrastructure for the future.
Green Space: The ODA is on course to deliver the amount of biodiverse habitat promised. The Olympic Board has confirmed its commitment to green space commitments as outlined in the bid in regard to legacy, but the Commission recognises the challenges, such as the pressures on land use. Therefore the Commission will be scrutinising the OPLC to ensure it continues to deliver on the commitments.
Sustainable Construction: The ODA has set new built environment standards that other construction clients should follow. By delivering multiple projects on-time and on-budget, the ODA has proven that it is possible to deliver both sustainability and value.
Sustainable Games: LOCOG have responded to the recommendations made by the Commission last year and have consequently set challenging targets. The Commission has planned a Games Operations review to see how these targets will be delivered on the ground.
In addition, the Commission has focused attention on City Operations in London, managed by the GLA. To date, the Commission has been critical of the lack of clear planning and recommends that the GLA urgently commits either to meeting LOCOG’s standards or sets its own specific sustainability targets.
The Commission is also keen to highlight the LDA’s achievements within employment and skills. However, if the success of their job brokerage scheme across the five host boroughs is to be continued, it will depend on support from the GLA.
The Annual Review looks at key aspects of the Olympic and Paralympic sustainability performance across all organisational bodies and reviews progress to date across five key themes. For more details, please download the full Annual Review in PDF format from: http://www.cslondon.org/publications//?category=1&did=78
For more information, contact: hfitzhugh@epochpr.com.
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