(ATR) (ATR) The Russian Supreme Court has denied an appeal by Greenpeace to halt construction of venues planned in the Sochi bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Greenpeace attorney Mikhail Kreindlen says there is one more appeal possible, but that he has low expectations for success.
Greenpeace says the venue construction, the most extensive of the three cities bidding for 2014, would lead to damage to the mountain and valley targeted to host the Games.
The Russian government says it will spend $12 billion on venues and infrastructure in Sochi, $100 million of that going for environmental measures.
A newly-named Ecological Council is scheduled to meet next week for the first time. The council, which includes representatives from Greenpeace and the WWF, is supposed to monitor the environmental impact of Olympics-related work. The council is headed by deputy minister of Natural Resource
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| “Environmental awareness is a fundamental part of our bid,” says Sochi native and bid CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko. (ATR) |
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s Anatoly Temkin.
Sochi 2014 issued two press releases Wednesday involving environmental matters. In one, Sochi organizers say they have begun implementing a zero waste goal program and in the other relase, Sochi promises to take part in reforestation of the Sochi National Forest.
“Enviro
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| Greenpeace lawyer Mikhail Kreindlen. (ATR) |
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nmental awareness is a fundamental part of our bid and our Games plan demonstrates this commitment,” says Sochi 2014 CEO Dmitry Chernyshenko.
“We are confident that the Winter Games in Sochi will set new standards for environmental awareness and planning throughout Russia,” he says.
Greenpeace’s Kreindlen and a representative of another environmental group met with the IOC Evaluation Commission in February to discuss concerns over Olympic development.
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