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BEIJING, CHINA
source: en.beijing-2008.org
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7911618/
www.materials.net.cn/zh/endex1.htm
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Beijing is in the midst of what some say is the most massive engineering project since the Great Wall… - bulldozing ancient housing areas, constructing sports venues, modernising transport infrastructures and accelerating major building projects in time for the world's most prestigious sporting event, which Beijing also hopes will showcase China's coming of age as a major world power. But the success of the US$38 billion Olympic project - and the country's sense of pride - may still hang in the balance, not least because of the colossal challenge of cleaning up Beijing's environment. The Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) has established a series of strategies, such as Environmental guideline for the Olympic Project and Environmental guideline for the Olympic restaurant service, to promote sustainable development in Beijing and realize the commitment of Green Olympics;
- Beijing has planned 32 venues for the 2008 Olympics. Among them, 13 currently exist, but will be renovated. An additional 19 structures will be built. It is required that green materials and clean technologies must be applied to the Olympics buildings and temporary facilities, especially to Olympic central areas and international areas of Olympic village. To promote green materials application, the Science and Technology Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, the office of 2008 Projects Construction Headquarters of Beijing Municipal People’s Government and the BOCOG decided to organise the International Symposium on Green Materials & Green Olympics (June 2005), focusing on safe, environmental-friendly and economic materials to be applied in Olympic projects construction and Olympics operation, and on how to support and promote Green Olympics concepts by green materials application;
- on March 18, 2004, seven five-star hotels as the first group to provide accommodation to the accredited staff including the Olympic Families, sponsors and media, signed the Olympic Lodging Agreement with BOCOG. In order to fully realize the idea of ‘Green Olympics’, BOCOG also drew up an environmental guideline with stricter standards for those contracted hotels.
Beijing Municipal Government continued giving a priority to environment protection in 2004, to further the prevention and treatment of air quality and to push forward the environmental pollution control... - the ‘green rooftop’ project is a major component of Beijing's multi-pronged strategy to meet mandated air-quality standards in time for the Summer Olympics of 2008. With an initial 10,000 square meters of rooftop lawns created in 2004, the target in 2005 is to expand acreage by about 200,000 square meters, half to be funded by the government and the rest by various financial sources. The accelerating program envisions some 60% of low-rise buildings and about 30 to 40% of high-rises topped with green grass fields by 2008;
- Beijing is spending billions of dollars to relocate some 200 polluting factories, and to lay down the pipelines and infrastructure for substituting natural gas for coal, which is a principal source of air-borne particles. During recent years, the municipal government has encouraged both corporation and individual to use clean energy through offering subsidy, doubling economic penalty, raising charge standard for pollutant emission, etc. These measures strengthened the environment protection of Beijing city and were very successful;
- in 2004, the number of days that air quality was equal to/above national standard in the urban area reached 229, 62.5% of the year. It increased by 14.4% than in 2000. SO2 density was up to the national standard for the first time in the last 20 years. About 1,000 coal-fuelled boilers were converted to use clean energy. More than 80% of urban coal-fuelled boilers weighing below 20 tons was converted. Second-phase emission standard was applied to new-licensed heavy gasoline vehicles and motorcycles. Fuel quality standard for local vehicles was developed and implemented.
In Beijing’s continuing preparations to host the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, the city has initiated a number of tree planting projects… - the city plans to expand plant cover to a ratio of 50%, and build 50 green belts with of 10,000 square metres each before 2007. In 2004, the total forestation area in Beijing was increased by 404,800 mu.* The number of planting trees grew by 42.3 million. The forestry coverage rate rose to 49.5%. The urban greening coverage rate was 41.5%, and average green ground per-capita was 45 square meters;
- in 2004, the first city green belt was basically completed. The main project of "Forestation along Five Rivers and Ten Roads" almost came to an end with total length of 1,035 kilometres. A tremendous and characteristic green ecological corridor was primarily shaped in Beijing outskirt plain.
Beijing is optimising the public transportation model in order to better air quality and realize the concept of Green Olympics… - in 2008, the total population in this city is expected to hit 15 million, including 3 million floating population. The total transport volume is on the rise. From 2003-2008, the number of taxis will climb from 60,000 to 80,000, that of buses from 12,000 to 18,000, and that of private cars and non-private vehicles is increasing even faster. Such large quantities of vehicles are just like a dark dragon. Not only do they consume fuels at an astonishing speed and make petroleum resources increasingly scanty, they also pose aggravating environmental pollution;
- the Ministry of Science and Technology and Beijing Municipal Government set up a special fund for "Science & Technology Olympics" to support intelligent transportation and electric vehicle projects. The UNDP/GEF demonstration project of battery-powered buses was launched. Fuelled by the immense demand of the Olympics, R&D of environmentally-friendly vehicle has become a new hotspot area in China's automobile industry. At present, there are more than 100 carmakers and scientific research institutions working on environmentally-friendly vehicle in this country;
- governmental sectors advanced the renovation of buses and taxis. The total pollutant emission is being decreased, and traffic noise is being cut down gradually. By the end of 2004, the mileage of Beijing rail transportation was 114 kilometres, 59.5 kilometres longer than in 2000. Metro 4, 5 and 10 lines entered the constructing phrase and will be put into operation in early 2007;
- people with tickets for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games will have access to free public transport such as buses, subway and city rails in the city during the Games period. Other persons who will enjoy free public transport include members of the Olympic family, paid and contract staff, volunteers and accredited people;
- no parking space will be available for private cars around the Olympic venues. Spectators are advised to access to the competition venues via public transport. Shuttle buses will link city rail stations and major public transport hubs with the Olympic venues and taxi stops will be set up around the venues and other important sites;
- BOCOG has composed transport manuals, in line with relevant IOC provisions, for different groups of the Olympic family. All contents and info contained in the manuals will be released and updated via information terminals, such as the BOCOG intranet, information terminal in the designated work areas and vehicle-carried TV on regular buses.
Beijing will vigorously develop contamination-free and organic food to feed a ‘Green Olympics’…- the municipality's efforts to develop the agricultural sector will go beyond the 2008 event, focusing on producing top-quality farm produce to satisfy higher consumer demand. Beijing will build 6 green food production bases for meat, milk, vegetables, eggs, fruit and fungi;
- the capital will finish building a special production base by 2007, covering 4,000 hectares, to supply 20 varieties of vegetables exclusively for the Olympics. In addition, Beijing will launch 100 agricultural standardisation pilot projects each year, to make sure all agricultural products produced in Beijing's suburbs meet safety standards;
- more than 60 billion yuan (US$7.2 billion), or nearly 30% of total consumer spending in Beijing goes on food each year. To expand suburban food suppliers' share of the massive Beijing market, the local government has instigated a massive drive, the "211 Action Plan," to analyze new consumption trends, agricultural resources, scientific and financial support system, and to build a computer-based information network.
In 2004, BOCOG has been putting its efforts into various communication and education activities on environmental protection… - the promotional team will give lectures for the local communities, schools and enterprises on the idea of Green Olympics in order to raise people's environmental awareness, encourage them to take action and support ‘Green Olympics’. On September 14, 2004, BOCOG and the Beijing Municipal Environment Protection Bureau jointly held the "Beijing International Environment Forum 2004". It focused on the subject of "Improving Beijing's urban environment, preparing for a Green Olympics";
- BOCOG participated in communication and education activities of NGOs actively, encouraged them to take advantage of their expertise to develop more and better activities, promoted green life and support the Green Olympics;
- Green Olympics online column was developed by Environmental Activities Department and Media and Communications Department of BOCOG. In Chinese, English and French, the Green Olympics column will give live report on BOCOG's environmental activities, update the progress of Beijing Municipal Government in environmental protection, infrastructure construction and pollution prevention and treatment;
- BOCOG compiled several communication materials such as Green Construction Guidelines of Olympic Projects, "Green Olympics: Idea and Action", etc, so as to promote the idea of Green Olympics to the public. Meanwhile, a film was also developed to present the progress of Beijing in environmental protection in the past three years since Beijing won the bid. About 100 registered journalists were trained and their understanding of the idea of Green Olympics greatly improved.
(*) A mu equals one-fifteenth of a hectare.
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