Archived press release

London has olympic chance to make "eco games"

6 July 2005

Welcoming today's announcement that London will host the 2012 Olympics Friends of the Earth's London Campaigns Co-ordinator, Jenny Bates, said:

"Friends of the Earth congratulates the London 2012 bid team on their success.

The hard work begins now to make the London Olympic Games the 'Eco Games' and to ensure they leave a sustainable legacy for East London.

Friends of the Earth will be tracking developments to check that progressive standards are set and adhered to for all aspects of the games. They must become a beacon for 21st century thinking and practice - stimulating innovation and bringing new best practice to benefit the whole country.

Friends of the Earth will also be working to help ensure that local concerns are met and that a legacy is left that will improve the quality of life for the people of East London."

Background - Friends of the Earth's Position statement: London's 2012 Olympic bid

Friends of the Earth supports London's bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games. The bid contains many good environmental ideas and the challenge will be to keep to the high standards set out in the bid and avoid them being compromised by the pressures of time and money. Equally there are aspects of the bid which raise concern including: who pays for the games; loss of green space; other effects on local communities; effects on local businesses.

Friends of the Earth will be tracking developments to help ensure that the 2012 London Olympics become a trend setter and a beacon for 21st Century thinking on all aspects of sustainable development from transport and energy use to avoiding waste.

The organisers must also embrace innovative design and construction techniques with responsible use of materials, and sensitive location of developments given the area's limited environmental assets and flood-risk rating.

The legacy left by the Games is also vital for London and the rest of Britain. Too often Londoners have been promised schemes which will transform their area and their prospects. East London has seen many much vaunted schemes including the millennium dome, hailed by its promoters as the key to regenerating the Thames Gateway, yet ultimately far from the beacon of 21 century thinking and practice it should have been.

The London Olympics can and must do far better. The International Olympic Committee requires the kind of thinking about the legacy for the area, which those behind the dome conspicuously failed to consider including an end use suitable for local people.

If the games are to benefit the nation as we hope they will, the Government should ensure Londoners are not the only council tax payers to pick up the bill.

In all areas of design, procurement and operation and legacy of the Games, progressive standards should stimulate innovation, and bring new best practice to benefit the whole country. The London games should be the Eco-games.

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust