Walking the Talk
PyeongChang 2018 Olympics Committee Launches Sustainability Report, Carbon Credit Campaign

With only a few short weeks left to go before the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the PyeongChang Organizing Committee has unveiled details of the measures being taken to ensure the sustainability of this year’s event.

The Committee has published a sustainability report outlining the actions taken from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016 to promote environmental and social stewardship during the Olympic Games. The sustainability activities were centered around five key themes: Low-Carbon Green Olympics; Stewardship of Nature; Good Life; Proud People with Tradition and Culture; and Globalizing PyeongChang: Opening to the World.

The main bid commitments on sustainability focused on responding to climate change; establishing low-carbon growth plans and cities; and raising environmental awareness. The implementation of these goals has included designing and constructing sustainable venues; building sustainable transport infrastructure; practicing sustainable procurement; and using renewable energy.

“With only a few weeks to go until PyeongChang 2018 we are delighted to share our first full sustainability goals throughout the Games and beyond to leave the legacy that the Games deserves,” said Teachul Rhyu, PyeongChang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (POCOG) Director General of Environment.

“Since we won the bid to host the Games, sustainability and the environment have been at the heart of our plans and procedures. Our venues and infrastructure have all been completed to the necessary standards and we will continue to focus on our sustainability goals throughout the Games and beyond to leave the legacy that the Games deserves.”

To ensure the delivery of all actionable items, a sustainability management system has been established to plan and monitor all of the initiatives across environmental, economic and societal elements of the Games.

Another report will be issued by the Sustainability Team at the end of 2018, detailing all of the achievements and updates on the legacy plans.

In addition to the report, the POCOG has also announced its plans to launch a fundraising campaign next month as part of its efforts to offset carbon emissions from the preparation and operation of the sports event. The Committee has asked participating athletes, spectators, countries, institutions and organizations to take part in the campaign, which will run from January 1 through February 25.

According to the committee, the amount of greenhouse gases to be emitted from the staging of the event is estimated at 1.59 million tons. Of the total, around 31.3 percent, or 500,000 tons, can be attributed to transport and accommodations of athletes, spectators and other participants to the Games.

Ahead of the event, fundraising will be done through the website PyeongChang2018-CarbonFund.com. Beginning January 23, donations can be made on-site at the Olympic Park in Gangneung on South Korea’s east coast until February 25.

All of proceeds from the fundraising event will be used to purchase internationally traded Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) to offset carbon emissions in association with the Olympics.

“The International Olympic Committee is also stressing the importance of reducing carbon emissions,” said Yeo Hyung-koo, Secretary General of the Olympic Committee. “We hope that many people will actively participate in the campaign so as to make the PyeongChang Olympics a low carbon event.