Rio de Janeiro’s bid to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games today celebrated World Environment Day with two events. Next to the Shooting Center at Deodoro Sports Complex, the Olympic Wood was inaugurated, with the planting of 107 trees of native Atlantic Forest species. Meanwhile in Barra da Tijuca, a new sewage treatment plant began operations, which will benefit one million people.

The Olympic Wood is Rio 2016’s tribute to World Environment Day, reaffirming the environmental commitment of Rio de Janeiro’s Olympic project. One hundred and seven trees were planted on a site across from the Shooting Center at Deodoro Sports Complex, which was built for the Rio 2007 Pan American Games and is one of the Rio 2016 sports venues. Each tree honors a member of the International Olympic Committee. The first tree was planted by Rio 2016 manager for institutional relations, Fábio Starling, and the commander of Gericinó Training Camp, Lieutenant Colonel Danilo André de Oliveira. The tree chosen was a jequitibá-açu, a symbol of the city of Rio de Janeiro, whose name means “giant of the forest.” The event was also attended by the manager of Deodoro Sports Complex for the Ministry of Sport, Colonel Sérgio Bernardes; the coordinator of the Municipal Environment Secretariat, Marcus Vinícius Carrasqueira; and the vice-president of the Brazilian Shooting Confederation, Colonel Silva Freire.

Rio 2016 is focused on improving the environment, the quality of life and the economy. “The three levels of government and other authorities have provided guarantees that all building work for Rio 2016 will comply with international norms and protocols related to planning and environmental protection. The Olympic Wood reinforces this commitment, and the tribute to the IOC members represents the integration of our environmental project with the ideals of the Olympic Movement,” said Carlos Arthur Nuzman, Rio 2016 president.

The opening of the sewerage plants in Barra da Tijuca is an important part of the clean-up plan presented in Rio de Janeiro’s Candidature File. The R$460 million project is capable of treating 2,500 liters of sewage per second, benefiting one million people. As part of Rio 2016 plans, the Barra da Tijuca Zone will host 19 sports competitions, as well as the Olympic Village, International Broadcast Center (IBC) and Main Press Center (MPC). The event was attended by Governor Sérgio Cabral, Mayor Eduardo Paes, CEDAE President Wagner Victer, and Rio 2016 Operations Superintendent Carlos Luiz Martins. “This is another major step forward. The state government of Rio has pledged that, by 2016, 100% of the city’s sewage will be treated,” said Governor Cabral.

Rio 2016’s sustainability and environment program is focused on four pillars: water conservation, renewable energy, carbon-neutral Games, and waste management & social responsibility. The IOC will select the Host City for the 2016 Games on 2 October, but various initiatives are already underway in Rio. In January, local water and sewerage company CEDAE opened the Alegria waste treatment plant in Caju, an important project within the program to clean up Guanabara Bay, which is planned to host Rio 2016 sailing competitions. The plant in Caju is capable of treating 2,500 liters of sewage per second, benefiting 1.25 million inhabitants in 19 city districts. In May, Rio 2016 announced that it will offset all the carbon emitted from its bid campaign by planting 2,386 trees in the Pedra Branca National Park and at facilities including Maria Lenk Aquatic Park and Deodoro Sports Complex.