The Rio 2016 organizing committee says it will offset 3.6 million metric tons of carbon emissions — the total amount of emissions expected to be generated by the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
This includes all emissions from operations, venue construction, city infrastructure and spectators.
Dow Chemical, Rio 2016’s official carbon partner, will offset 2 million metric tons of carbon through technologies to help reduce the carbon footprint and improve energy efficiency in the agriculture, industry and infrastructure areas, for example, by reducing food waste.
The Rio de Janeiro state government will be responsible for offsetting the remaining 1.6 million metric tons. The committee says this amount will be partially offset through the planting of trees, while the remainder will be compensated through restoration programs in the Atlantic Forest, which stretches along Brazil’s coast, and other projects aimed at fostering a low-carbon economy.
The committee says it will also reduce emissions at the source through several initiatives, such as using intelligent design to reduce the amount of materials needed, sustainable procurement across the entire supply chain and the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable alternatives.
