But turning the wilderness into a world-class sporting destination is proving a huge environmental change - almost everything has to be constructed new, from roads to hotels, to ski lifts.
Efim Bitenev, a member of the Sochi Olympic committee told CNN: "The idea is not to turn it into a sport resort, but to make Sochi a destination for business travellers, as most of the venues that will be built on the coastal cluster of our project, will be used for, for example, as exposition facilities."
There will be environmental impact, but officials say efforts are being made to minimise it. Already, venues like the bob sleigh run have been relocated to avoid sensitive areas, with rare flora and fauna. And the wood being used in construction is said to be from sustainable sources.
Organisers of the Sochi Olympics, say they want these to be the greenest, most environmentally aware games ever staged.
But already there are serious doubts that target can be achieved. Environmentalists say they are increasingly concerned about the damage that's being caused to this pristine area.
Of course, it's nearly five years until the 2014 Olympics, but billions of dollars are already being spent on making the facilities fantastic, and on making what Russia hopes will be an extremely memorable winter Olympics here.
Memorable for sporting achievements, not for the impact the Olympics may have on this region's fragile environment.
To read more and view the original article, click here.
Compliance365 is an independent energy consultancy. We provide advice and guidance on all our services; how to save energy; how to save money on your energy bills; and ultimately how to become more energy efficient. Our aim is to be as cost effective and flexible as possible for our clients.
0 comments:
Post a Comment