Presenting their Ecological Programme to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global Forum for Sport and Environment in Nairobi, Kenya, the committee stressed how the programme is designed to minimise the impact of the Games on the local environment.

The UNEP forum, which focused on the importance of integrating conservation and environmental measures during the preparations for major sporting events, was a further example of the endeavours to deliver the Sochi 2014 Ecological Program and listen to leading environmental experts to learn from international best practice in environmental conservation.

Sochi 2014's Ecological Programme covers four key areas: Games in Harmony with Nature, focusing on preserving and augmenting the biodiversity in the region; Climate Neutral Games, undertaking a series of measures to neutralise the CO2 emissions resulting from preparing for and hosting the Games; Zero Waste Games, including reducing waste and recycling materials; and Enlightenment Games, using them as a platform and a catalyst to raise ecological awareness, consciousness and responsibility among the Russian population.

As part of the delivery of the Sochi 2014 Ecological Strategy, several hundred events have already taken place - 122 in 2010 alone.

The Sochi 2014 Games Partners and the Sochi City Administration recently signed a "Memorandum on Ecological and Environmental Partnership as part of the Sochi 2014 Initiative on Sustainable Development."

This encourages the Sochi 2014 Partners to consider improving their environmental responsibility and protection programmes across both their Olympic projects and day-to-day operations, underlines the importance of preserving the environment during the process of preparing and hosting of the Games and proposes new environmental standards which will represent a legacy for future generations.

In the past week, Sochi 2014 has supported an initiative by the Russian Geographical Society to publish an atlas of medicinal and food plants originating in the Sochi region.

The atlas was presented to the Sochi Geographical Society for use in ecological education work as part of the preparation for the Games and will be made available to schools, colleges and libraries in the city.


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