Sochi 2014 announced that more than 520,000 metric tons (MT) of CO2 equivalents have already been mitigated through the Sustainable Future programme, implemented in Russia by Worldwide Olympic Partner and Official Carbon Partner of Sochi 2014, Dow.

"It is with great pride and excitement that we announce the fulfilment of a key milestone on our commitment to deliver Games with minimal impact on climate," said Dmitry Chernyshenko, President and chief executive of the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee.

"The Sustainable Future programme went above and beyond our expectations, as it reached our mitigation goals in such a short time.

"The programme is also contributing to promote technological advancements and delivering long lasting benefits to the Russian economy."

The Dow Chemical Company became an official Worldwide Olympic Partner in 2010 and has since been committed to reducing the direct carbon footprint of Olympic Games ©Getty Images


Dow has been closely engaged with its customers in Russia since March last year, implementing energy efficient and low-carbon technologies in various parts of the country.

The greenhouse gas reductions delivered through its Sustainable Future programme have been verified by international expert ERM, which confirmed the reductions in emissions have far surpassed the estimated direct carbon footprint of the Games - thought to be around 360,000 MT.

This footprint includes emissions associated with the travel and accommodation of athletes, staff, and volunteers, the operation of the sports venues during Games time, and the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee's activities from 2007 - when Russia received the right to host the Olympic Winter Games - until the Paralympic Games' Closing Ceremony on March 17.

Dow is offsetting these emissions with a mix of completed and ongoing projects, principally in Russia, but also in Brazil and South Korea, which will host the next two Olympics, and other regions.

These include farming enhancements, such as low-till farming methods, building efficiency gains via better insulation and other technologies, and industrial upgrades.

Dow used innovative technologies during the construction stages of some of Sochi's major venues to help offset a portion of their direct carbon footprint ©Getty Images


Sochi 2014 has also become the first Olympic and Paralympic Games ever with a neutral carbon footprint associated with the travel of spectators and media at the event.

This footprint has been estimated to be 160,000 MT of carbon dioxide equivalents.

"Dow is a global leader in the chemical industry and a renowned innovator, providing us with sustainable solutions to improve venues and city infrastructure," said Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

"As the Official Chemistry Company of the Olympic Games, Dow will continue to play a significant role in supporting the IOC's long term vision for sustainability at the Olympic Games."

In order to support this new approach to carbon mitigation enabled by the Sustainable Future programme, Dow partnered with Offsetters and other international experts to develop an innovative Greenhouse Gas accounting framework, enabling economically viable projects to deliver climate benefits for mitigating the footprint of a large-scale event.

"The Worldwide Olympic Partnership allows Dow to showcase its solutions on the world's most revered global sports stage," said George Hamilton, vice president of Dow's Olympic Operations.

"As the Official Chemistry Company of the Olympic Games, we evaluated what the needs are for the Olympic Movement and the role Dow could play in helping to make the Games better by our participation.

"Our capabilities and expertise make us a key player to advance the third pillar of the Olympism – the environment – and this is how we have been working with Organising Committees and the IOC to deliver game-changing innovations for the Olympic Games moving forward."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
July 2013: Dow planning "ground-breaking" advances to address emissions in Russia for Sochi 2014 Games