The Rio 2016 committee today celebrated the planting of 3,580 trees to neutralize all of the carbon emitted during the city’s bid to host the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The event, at Rio’s Botanical Garden, was part of celebrations of National Tree Day, and was attended by environment minister, Carlos Minc, state environment secretary, Marilene Ramos, and Rio 2016’s chief operations officer, Carlos Luiz Martins.

Concern for the environment is one of the pillars of the Rio 2016 bid. The 3,580 saplings are part of the state government’s “Rio 2016 Zero Carbon” project, which involves planting 46,000 trees today. In all, Rio 2016 will offset 716 tons of carbon relative to the period September 2007 to October 2009. “I’m happy to see more and more people fighting for the environment. Brazil has a climate change study plan and carbon reduction targets. We are going to bring the 2016 Games to Rio de Janeiro and stage a totally green competition,” said Minister Minc.

Offsetting carbon is not a new idea for the Rio 2016 bid. In the city’s Candidature File submitted to the IOC, the proposal is for “Green Games,” with the planting of more than three million trees in strategic parts of Tijuca Forest. As a legacy of the Rio 2016 Games, there will be Clean Development Mechanism projects in communities next to Games sites, reinforcing restoration projects in Pedra Branca National Park, Tijuca Forest, in the surroundings of sports venues and in the mangroves of Barra da Tijuca’s lagoons. “There’s nothing better on National Tree Day than celebrating the planting of saplings that will neutralize the carbon emitted by the Rio 2016 bid. We are confident that on 2 October, Rio de Janeiro will be chosen to host the 2016 Olympic Games,” said Secretary Ramos.

Around 100 children from local schools participated in the festivities. They were given plants as well as special ecological shopping bags, to discourage the use of plastic bags. “These young people will be the athletes, organizers and supporters of the 2016 Olympic Games. And they can already celebrate winning the green medal as champions of ecology and the environment,” declared Carlos Luiz Martins. “Brazilians are demonstrating an ever-evolving ecological conscience, and our decision to have a zero-carbon campaign makes these convictions clear to the IOC.”