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China, UN Agree on Environmental Protection at 2008 Olympics

Posted on: Friday, 18 November 2005, 12:00 CST

Text of report in English by official Chinese news agency Xinhua (New China News Agency)

Beijing, 18 November: Beijing Olympic organizers and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) signed a memorandum of understanding here on Friday [18 November] to promote environmental protection in staging the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Under the agreement, the UNEP will provide the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympics (BOCOG) with data and technical resources on environmental issues.

Klaus Toepfer, executive director of the UNEP, said that the memorandum of understanding is aimed at helping Beijing with its proposals in areas ranging from air, water and noise pollution up to transport, landscaping and the disposal of solid wastes.

"Big sports events always run the risk of burdens on the environment," said Toepfer at the signing ceremony.

"Let's all join hands and work for a safe and wonderful environment," he added.

Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics and People's Olympics are the three concepts that Beijing uses to promote the 2008 Games. In line with the Green Olympics concept, the Chinese capital has been making great efforts to improve its environment.

The UNEP started cooperating with the International Olympic Committee a decade ago to make the Olympic Games more environmentally friendly.

Source: BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific

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