Greenwashed Games for a Blue Planet

Since winning the the bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics in 2009, Rio de Janeiro set ambitious goals for the environmental efficacy of its games. “Green Games for a Blue Planet” is this year’s theme for the Olympics. The world had high hopes for the proposed sustainability of Rio 2016, especially with Brazil’s reputation for producing 85% of its energy from renewable sources. However, as the games approach, it’s apparent that Rio is struggling to meet their foremost sustainability goals.

The Sustainability Management Plan: Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games outlined multiple objectives. The objectives grouped under the theme of “environmental conservation and clean-up” included the following:

1. “Minimize the impact on the existing ecosystems at the Olympic and Paralympic facilities and their immediate surroundings
2. Promote the environmental clean-up of bodies of water in the regions of the Games.
3. Strengthen and accelerate environmental protection, conservation, restoration and rehabilitation programmes.
4. Expand monitoring of air and water quality in the Games regions”

Many of the headlines you’ve probably seen in the past few weeks paint a dirtier, more polluted picture of the progress made in Rio.

Troubled waters: How Rio’s trash problem goes far beyond the Olympics -Waste Dive

Rio has broken its promise of an environment-friendly Olympics -Vice news

AP Investigation: Olympic athletes to swim and boat in Rio waters awash in viruses, bacteria -Fox News

7 Major Environmental Issues Already Spoiling the Rio Olympics -EcoWatch

While Rio has made some progress towards these goals, ultimately the environmental pledges remain ineffective. The failure of Rio to meet its own ambitious goals is reminiscent of Sochi’s failure at zero waste for the 2014 Winter Olympics.

What does it mean for promises of sustainability to be repeatedly disregarded on the world stage? Promising to clean up waterways and conserve threatened ecosystems cannot be eye catching, empty promises used to greenwash a world event like the Olympics. These are very real issues felt by both the residents of Rio as well as the half of a million tourists and athletes visiting for the games.

Will we see an Olympics where sustainability goals are followed through and not used to simply secure the bid?

At many organizations, goals are used to kickstart sustainability efforts and encourage the community to partake in these efforts. The University of Michigan has multiple goals that guide us toward sustainability. Visit Planet Blue’s website to learn more about U-M’s goals, the actions being taken towards meeting these goals, and the people making real change.