Author: Hilary Lindh, Centre for Applied Conservation Research, University of British Columbia

Abstract: Although Summer Olympic host cities are usually large, metropolitan areas, Winter Olympic sites have historically been selected for their natural and pristine settings. The increase in resource use and waste generation that is associated with construction of new facilities and a mass influx of people are met with little existing capacity to cope. Loss or degradation of wildlife habitat, water and energy use, and disposal of sewage and garbage are topics of concern for both residents and planners. Recognition of the value of mitigating impacts began when Lillehammer, Norway (1994) became the first host city to include environmental organizations and employ environmental guidelines in its Olympic planning. Following the success of this first ‘Green Games’, the International Olympic Committee formally included the Environment as one of three pillars of the Olympic Movement, joining Sport and Culture. In partnership with the United Nations Environmental Programs (UNEP), it set ‘green’ criteria for all future Olympic venues. Interest in implementing ‘green’ criteria has risen as each successive host city (Lillehammer, Atlanta, Nagano, Sydney, Salt Lake City) has sought to improve on the environmental record of the previous city. Salt Lake City (2002) was the first Olympic host to fully integrate environmental concerns in its operations and planning. The result, as with other venues, has been a mix of impressive successes and shameful failures, most notably a lack of post-games monitoring.