BEIJING GAMES CAN BE MODEL FOR 2010 NEW DELHI COMMONWEALTH GAMES

       Beijing, Aug. 7, 2008 (ANTARA) - Achim Steiner, the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), will attend the Beijing Olympic Opening Ceremony on 8 August and says lessons learnt here can help promote more green initiatives for the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
     "The 2008 Olympic Games will leave a lasting legacy for the world," said Steiner in a UNEP press statement.

     "Beijing's efforts can quickly become a model for sustainable development for other cities in the developing world."
    UNEP has been working with the Beijing Olympic Committee for the last three years, advising organizers on various aspects of greening the games.
    Over the last seven years, the Chinese government has spent US$17 billion on a large-scale green drive ahead of the Games, including a series of long-term environmental improvements for the city.
     As part of this, the city has introduced tougher standards for vehicle emissions and phased out ozone-depleting substances. The authorities have also expanded Beijing's public transport network with three new subway lines and the introduction of some 3,800 compressed natural gas buses - one of the largest fleets of in any city in the world.
    The Olympic venues themselves also have many green features: 20 per cent of their energy comes from clean wind sources, solar power features prominently in the Olympic Village, and the Bird's Nest stadium has an advanced rainwater recycling system.
    During his visit to the city, Steiner will take the opportunity to see first-hand some of the environmental improvements implemented around Beijing for the Games. He will visit several of the green facilities built for the Olympics including Beijing's newly-inaugurated subway lines and the Solar Wall, 2,000 square metres of solar panels.
    On 8 August, the Executive Director - who is also a UN
Under-Secretary-General - will take part in the Olympic Torch Relay before attending the Opening Ceremony.
    In the second half of 2008, UNEP will produce a Post-Games Environmental Assessment Report to assess the successes and challenges of the environmental measures taken by the organizers of the Beijing Games.
    The report will be instrumental in helping UNEP give the organizers of the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games the best possible advice to reduce the environmental impact of the event.