How green are the Olympics

How green are the Olympics? Lyn Bibbings, Oxford Brookes University Peter Burns, University of Brighton “Holding the 2012 Games on home soil is a once in an era opportunity for British tourism – the biggest visitor event in UK history. Our job is now to ensure the whole country benefits in the run up to, and long beyond, The Games” Tony Blair “The Games are a long term investment, not a short-term money spinner” Shaun Woodward “The Games will bring huge “ London 2012 will turn the business opportunities, fantastic sports facilities and dreams of millions into many thousands of new reality” Tessa Jowell visitors” Ken Livingstone One planet Olympics – the vision • Joint initiative between London 2012, BioRegional and WWF • Provides an „implementation‟ link • Plans for minimising the potential impact of the event itself • Increase public awareness of the positive links between sport, environment and healthy living • Create sustainable legacy communities 10 One Planet Living Principles • Zero Waste • Sustainable Transport • Local and Sustainable Materials • Local and Sustainable Food • Sustainable Water • Natural Habitats and Wildlife • Culture and Heritage • Equity and Fair Trade • Health and Happiness • Zero Carbon 2012 Environmental Plan • Building the Games • During the Games • Legacy Focus on the Visitor Economy Tourism • London already attracts 26 million visitors a year • Visitor economy worth £15 billion • Half of all overseas visitors include London as part of their visit • Between 50-70% of net economic benefit from Games over 7-10 yrs will accrue from tourism Focus on the Visitor Economy Tourism • Estimated that the Games may generate £2 billion for Britain‟s international visitor economy • Almost two thirds of this growth will occur in the four years after the Games • Approximately 60% of the additional inbound tourism revenue will be spent in London “Learn as much as you can from previous Games as early as possible, get as close as you can to the Olympic Family, but remember that the spotlight will move on very quickly so you need to do your postGames planning now” John Morse Chief Executive of the Australian Tourist Commission 1997 - 2001 Past Games Athens Sydney Beijing • 19 June 2007 - Pollution in Beijing reached and API of 202, Grade 4A, which “aggravates symptoms of cardiac and lung disease patients, reduces endurance during exercise and produces symptoms in healthy crowds” • Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee said that some events may have to be cancelled Greenpeace response to 2012 Olympic Plans “These Olympic proposals deserve the wooden spoon. In 2012 climate change will be the biggest issue on the planet, and yet the Olympic Delivery Authority are planning to belch way too much climate trashing gases into the atmosphere” Charlie Kronick, January 23rd 2007 Report of the Tourism Sustainability Group • Action for more Sustainable European Tourism, February 2007 • Responsibilities for action • Membership – Experts in tourism industry, destinations and civil society – Member States experts – International organisations • Education not represented “Educational and research establishments have a key role to play in undertaking research and promoting understanding of sustainability issues in tourism. Universities, colleges and other training bodies should reflect sustainability concerns in their mainstream tourism courses as well as providing more specific courses on relevant topics…” Sustainable development in higher education -Hefce Report, January 2005 “Our vision is that, within the next 10 years, the higher education sector in England will be recognised as a major contributor to society‟s efforts to achieve sustainability – through the skills and knowledge that its graduates learn and put into practice, and through its own strategies and operations.” Four key areas • Engaging with stakeholders to develop policy synergies on SD • Building the capacity of people to manage sustainable development • Sharing good practice, or supporting the development of good practice where none exists • Rewarding more sustainable behaviour Survey of Tourism Lecturers on Climate Change • On-line survey open for 6 weeks, mid June – end July • Survey in three parts: – Knowledge, understanding, beliefs – What is taught at undergraduate and postgraduate levels – Personal energy consumption behaviour • Distributed through JISCmail lists, subject associations, HE Academy • 174 responses (not all answered every question) • 24 countries represented – 51 responses UK – 24 Australia and NZ – Responses from every continent except Asia Preliminary Results - knowledge and beliefs • 93% believe the world‟s climate is changing but only 62% believe that the underlying causes are due to human activity – more believe it is a combination of natural and human activity • Most (but not all) are aware and could explain to students the concepts of global warming; climate change; the greenhouse effect; greenhouse gases; fossil fuels; carbon dioxide; carbon emissions; ozone layer. • Most were aware of carbon offsetting but 25% could not explain it to students. This figure fell to 16% for those from Australia and NZ General agreement on effects Extreme weather Rising sea levels Global effects of Climate change Melting Ice-caps Higher temperature Droughts Rain and flooding Climate change and tourism • Impact of climate change on tourism • 21% neutral or unconcerned • For Australia and NZ rose to 25% • Impact of tourism on climate change • 24% neutral or unconcerned • Rose to 25% for Australia and NZ Where is knowledge from? • 61% believe climate change is an important topic for tourism undergraduate and postgraduate studies Resource aware Used u/g? Used p/g? Stern Review IPCC Reports Media coverage of above Al Gore‟s film Kyoto Protocol Academic Papers TV Progs on climate change Newspaper reports Internet information 60% 47% 85.5% 74% 87.5% 78% 92% 95% 88% 70% No 68% No 62.5%Yes 71% No 52% Yes 60% Yes 44% Yes 60% Yes 62% Yes 77% No 76% No 55.3% Yes 85% No 65% No 54% No 19% Yes 32% Yes 45% Yes Where is it taught in the curriculum? Course Tourism U/g 86% p/g 73% Hospitality Leisure Events Don‟t know 40% 44% 29% 38% 21% 26% 21% 47% What aspects are taught most ? • Undergraduate – Impact on destinations – Impact on natural environment – Impact on economies – Impact on growth – Impact on consumers – Impact on society – Movement patterns – Impact on business – Adaptation – mitigation • Postgraduate – – – – – – – – Impact on natural environment Movement patterns Impact on growth Ethical consumption Impact on economies Adaptation Mitigation Impact on technology How is it taught? Mode u/g p/g Separate module of study As part of other modules Seminar discussions 82.1% No 80% Yes 66% Yes 89% No 64% Yes 62% Yes Conclusions • Teaching on climate change as part of leisure, tourism, hospitality and events courses is erratic • Less postgraduate than undergraduate teaching • Knowledge used in teaching relies largely on academic papers (not many!) and media coverage rather than official reports • Little coverage as part of events courses • Despite the Sydney Olympic Sustainability record and higher awareness in Australia and New Zealand there is no greater concern for tourism and climate change than anywhere else. Conclusions • If we believe that education has a key role to play in educating for a sustainable future and using awareness of the 2012 Games to create a legacy then there needs to be: – More knowledge and training from reliable sources for lecturers – More systematic approach to development of the curriculum – More coverage at postgraduate and undergraduate levels