The Commission for a Sustainable London 2012, the independent body established to assure and monitor the sustainability of the London 2012 Games, has published its Carbon Report on the approach taken to address the greenhouse gas emissions caused by the London 2012 programme.
The report calls for London 2012 to continue the work to measure its carbon footprint; to take responsibility for ensuring that emissions are reduced as far as possible, and to develop a strong and, where possible, quantifiable programme to mitigate remaining emissions.
Shaun McCarthy, chair of the commission, said: "We first recommended that London 2012 measure its carbon footprint in 2006; now three years later we're seeing the fruits of that recommendation. Everyone expected the biggest CO2 contributor to be air travel, but in fact it's the construction process"
"The job for London 2012 and government now is to carry on avoiding and reducing emissions – ideas like the low-carbon torch flame are great examples of what can be done. The commission also commends the work of the Olympic Delivery Authority in relation to sustainability in terms of achievements they have made in waste, reuse and transport. London 2012 has to take responsibility for the inevitable remaining footprint."
Responsibility for the footprint, hes said, lies with the Olympic Board.
"The board should ensure that the each of the delivery bodies continues to reduce and avoid emissions in their areas of control. The board should also allocate responsibility for mitigating the footprint to the body best placed to do so; in many cases much of the responsibility will need to lie with government," it said.
McCarthy said: "Britain and London 2012 could be world leaders in the field of embodied carbon. We're strongly recommending the development of a British Standard for best practice relating to embodied carbon, which should be completed by 2012. This standard would be a real legacy from the Games, and would lead to millions of tonnes of carbon being saved in the future. Government must take this learning on board and ensure that it is taken into account for all major construction projects."
