27 Apr 2012 - UN Under-Secretary General Achim Steiner has visited the Olympic Park to mark the launch of the London 2012 pre-Games sustainability report.

(L-R) LOCOG Head of Sustainability D. Stubbs, UN Environment Programme 
(UNEP) Executive Director A. Steiner, and ODA Director of Venues and 
Infrastructure S. Wright visit the Olympic Park.

The visit offered the UN Environment Chief the chance to view the Olympic Park’s transformation and see the sustainable development and regeneration of the site.

Achim Steiner said: ‘I witnessed the thoughtful approach to bringing sustainability issues into the planning and development of a mass scale event.

‘Efforts such as the greening of the supply chain, regeneration of an inner city area and bringing energy efficiency measures to local homes, can build the confidence to wider society that sustainability is not theory but infinitely do-able with the policies and technologies available today not tomorrow.’

Basis for all activities

The full pre-Games Sustainability Report covers the London 2012 delivery of the entire Olympic and Paralympic programme, with a spotlight on performance up to April 2012, three months before the start of the Games.

Sustainability has been a basis for all London 2012 activities, from the most sustainable Olympic Stadium ever built to a commitment to a Zero Waste to landfill target through the strategic Zero Waste Games Vision

The Active Travel Programme, launched in October 2011, aims to achieve one million extra walking and cycling journeys in London every day of the Games. All London 2012 caterers are also signed up to meeting the Food Vision standards, ready to serve 14 million sustainably sourced meals.

'Commitment and success'

LOCOG, Head of Sustainability, David Stubbs said: ‘The complexities of trying to address sustainability in areas that have never been considered before was a constant challenge but we are thrilled with the outcome of our programme.

Achieving the BS 8901 Standard and an ‘A rating’ for our report are real demonstrations of our commitment and success in delivering sustainability across all the areas that matter to our stakeholders.’

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