The World Wildlife Federation (WWF) made a statement Tuesday,
calling for athletes aiming to compete in the 2008 Beijing Olympics to pay for the
environmental cost of their flights.
With just 500 days until the 2008 Games, the global
environmental conservation organization has encouraged athletes to
train for "energy gold" by purchasing carbon emission credits on
the international market to offset the carbon cost of their
travel.
Long-distance flights are responsible for two percent of the
world's carbon emissions every year, which have been cited as a
major cause of global warming.
The Beijing Olympics is expected to attract 10,000 athletes and
on average each athlete will cause the release of around four tons
of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, according to the
WWF.
The organization is developing a "carbon calculator" for
participants planning to travel to the Games. Using this, they will
be able to enter their journey details to calculate the relevant
CO2 emissions and their donation would be used in energy efficiency
projects like wind farms and solar power stations, said Dermot
O'Gorman, WWF’s China representative.
Prices for one emission credit (the equivalent of one ton of
carbon dioxide emissions) range from five to twenty euros. A flight
from Paris to Beijing would emit around 2,000 kg of CO2 for an
economy flight with a modest amount of luggage, according to the
WWF.
"We want athletes to inspire people to make their air travel
more environmentally friendly and it (the donation) gives them the
opportunity to contribute toward a healthier planet and a healthier
Olympic Games," said O'Gorman.
(Xinhua News Agency March 28, 2007)