GREEN CONFERENCE QUESTIONS SUSTAINABLE 2012 OLYMPICS
Britain’s workforce may lack many of the skills needed to make London’s 2012
Olympics the most sustainable yet. This was the message at the European
Parliament’s Green Group conference being held in London last week to mark the
UK Presidency of the EU.
The Olympics brings with it the opportunity to accelerate the regeneration of
East London creating six new sports venues, 9000 new homes and 5000 additional
jobs but London’s Green MEP, Jean Lambert, who chaired the session at the
conference warned that if we do not start training our workforce now Britain
will not live up to its promises;
“London has the opportunity to not only build
a sustainable Olympics but make London a sustainable city. The skills our
workforce need to build the 2012 Olympics can be transferred to everyday life
and continue to bring action to tackle climate change into the mainstream after
the Olympics has finished.
“To be truly sustainable we need to ensure that any investment made in the
Olympics is an investment in the future of London. Training is all too often
aimed at placing people in jobs and ignores the significant potential that
exists to empower people to improve the environment. If we can’t use the Yellow
Pages to find a solar panel fitter then we haven’t brought action against
climate change into the mainstream.”
Jim Lewis, Thames Gateway Skills Director – Learning and Skills Council who
appeared on the panel alongside Jean, commented;
“This is the first Olympic bid
that London has actually won which gives us a reasonable planning period and we
must demonstrate that we can use it to deliver a sustainable Olympics. Spreading
across the five Boroughs and beyond there are opportunities for the development
of education and skills and local employment. Volunteering during the Olympics
is on a huge scale and could be a major solution that, with a post volunteering
programme, will equip those currently unemployed with essential skills for the
future.”
The two day conference focused on climate change with sessions including
Sustainability and Jobs, Transport and Urban Planning, and Energy / Nuclear
Policy. Speakers included MEPs and other elected politicians from across the EU,
journalists, trade unionists, academics and non-governmental organisations.