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Tokyo 2020 publishes plans for sustainable Olympic and Paralympic Games

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Tokyo 2020 today published its plans for a minimal impact Olympic and Paralympic Games as it aims to raise awareness of the significance of sustainability in the modern world.

Japanese organisers claim  to be embracing the entire concept of “sustainability” in its preparations, covering environmental matters, as well as the consideration of human rights, working conditions and management of supply chains.

Plans are outlined in Tokyo 2020’s High-level Sustainability Plan and Fundamental Principles for the Sustainable Sourcing Code.

“Among the recommendations adopted in the Olympic Agenda 2020 is the important theme of sustainability,” said Takeo Tanaka, senior director of the Tokyo 2020 Sustainability Department.

“Tokyo 2020 has also made sustainability one of its overriding priorities and will include sustainability in all aspects of the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Moreover, we have incorporated several Japanese values into our plans including the concept of Mottainai, or the sense of avoiding waste.”

The High-level Sustainability Plan, accessible here, is the framework outlining the basic approach to be adopted to ensure sustainability in Games preparations and operations.

Tokyo 2020 aims to finalise its sustainability plan by the end of 2016, and to obtain the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 20121 international standard for event sustainability management, they revealed. 

The ISO 20121 international standard, awarded to Rio 2016 earlier this week, was developed to ensure that events leave a positive economic, environmental and social legacy, with “minimum waste, energy consumption, or strain on local communities”.

Created in 2012 and applied to the London Games, it seeks to establish sustainability criteria for event organisation, providing “guidance and best practice advice for organisers”.

The Fundamental Principles for the Sustainable Sourcing Code, accessible here, will aim to ensure the sustainable sourcing of products and services deemed vital to the successful delivery of the Tokyo 2020 Games with full consideration given to economic rationality, fairness and equity.

The two documents provide a basis for considering sustainability from the planning stage, but are said to leave scope for further development through the collection of ideas, opinions and information from various delivery partners, such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, the National Government, private entities, Non-Governmental Organisations and Non-Profit Organisations.

Tokyo 2020 is also inviting suggestions from people throughout Japan and across the wider world to help further ensure the delivery of sustainable Games.

Ideas and suggestions can be proposed through the Tokyo 2020 official website until February 12.

Earlier this month, International Olympic Committee vice-president John Coates hailed the progress of Tokyo 2020 after it was confirmed that the stadium being built for the Olympics and Paralympics will be completed two months ahead of schedule in November 2019.

Coates was informed that the completion date had been moved from January 2020 to November 2019 during a two-day Project Review visit to assess the state of the preparations.

“Four years out, we couldn’t be happier,” he said.

  • By Daniel Etchells republished with permission insidethegames.biz

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