The Rio 2016 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games has presented its prediction of the carbon footprint that will be left by the Games, along with the actions that will be taken to reduce, compensate and mitigate carbon emissions related to the Games.

At the launch event for the Games Carbon Footprint Report on Thursday (30 October), Rio 2016 said that the aim is for the Games to encourage a low-carbon economy, with solutions already being implemented.

“Our goal is to implement actions to minimise the emissions of greenhouse gases, to deliver low-carbon Games and to create a beneficial and lasting legacy for the country's economy,” said Tania Braga, Rio 2016’s Head of Sustainability, Accessibility and Legacy.

The total estimated carbon footprint of the Games – considering all emissions from operations, venue construction, city infrastructure and spectators – is 3.6 million tonnes.

Two million tonnes of carbon will be compensated through technological mitigation initiatives resulting from Rio 2016’s partnership with the Dow Chemical Company. The company – Rio 2016’s official carbon partner – is investing in innovative 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 compensating 1.6 million tonnes of carbon. This amount will be partially offset through the planting of trees, while the remainder will be compensated through restoration programmes in the Atlantic Forest, which stretches along Brazil’s coast, and other solutions aimed at fostering a low-carbon economy.

In addition, the Rio 2016 Organising Committee is committed to reducing emissions at 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.

“We have arrived at the limit of what the planet can cope with and we have about a decade and a half to reverse this,” said Rachel Biderman, executive director non-governmental organisation WRI Brasil. “Despite the critical situation, society is finding solutions and one of these is what is being done with the Olympic and Paralympic Games here in Rio. This is a good example of how society can respond properly.”

The full report can be accessed here although it is currently available only in Portuguese.