Sailing for Sustainability

An environment and sustainability programme for December’s Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships has been launched in Perth by the West Australian Minister for the Environment.
Published on 31/08/11

In a ceremony on the Perth city foreshore, the Minister for Environment, the Hon. Bill Marmion, watched as an Olympic class Laser dinghy skippered by Beijing 2008 gold medallist Tessa Parkinson made a symbolic delivery of Mallee Eucalypt saplings being planted for Perth 2011 in the WA wheat belt to help offset carbon emissions from the ISAF Sailing World Championships.

In announcing the programme, Mr Marmion said Perth 2011 organisers were to be congratulated on the way they went about minimising the environmental cost of the event.

“This kind of active initiative to reduce the environmental impact of a major event enables us to experience the thrill of world class international competition, while meeting our environmental responsibilities,” Mr Marmion said.

WA 2011 Pty Ltd (Perth 2011) Chairman and former Federal Minister for Environment Hon. Ian Campbell said “Perth will play host to the best sailors in the world in December and to spread the message about our environment and our commitment to it is a great thing,” Mr Campbell said.

Competitors and officials at the World Championships are being encouraged to “purchase” a tree to be planted in a Perth 2011 Forest and leave a lasting legacy from the event.

“I encourage the athletes, officials and all supporters of the World Championships to get behind the environmental initiatives and to leave a positive legacy for Western Australia,” Mr Campbell said.

 “While sailing is generally perceived as a ‘clean’ sport, there are still many areas where its impact on the environment can be minimised,” he said.

 “The Perth 2011 Forest is one step along this process, allowing people to offset carbon emissions with the planting of a tree, but the Forest is just one aspect of a wider effort we hope will be embraced in the lead up to and throughout  the World Sailing Championships here in Perth.”

The Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships, 3-18 December 2011, will see 1200 athletes from 80 nations competing in Perth for 10 World Titles and the chance to represent their country at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

 Perth 2011’s first environmental partnership was with Carbon Conscious.

Carbon Conscious CEO Peter Balsarini said, “Our partnership with Perth 2011 has demonstrated world’s best practice in creating a clean, green international sporting event, and the carbon abatement benefits of the Perth 2011 Forest will continue to generate environmental benefits for many decades to come.”

More recently Perth 2011 has also partnered with Greensense. These organisations will assist Perth 2011 to accurately measure the “carbon footprint” of the World Championships and to offset its direct emissions and the Perth 2011 Forest plays a large part in that effort.