8. International exchanges

   8.1 Signing MOU with UNEP

   On Nov 18, BOCOG and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) singed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Liu Jingmin, BOCOG Executive Vice President and Klaus Toepfer, UNEP Executive Director, signed on the MOU. The signing ceremony was presided by Yang Shu'an, BOCOG Executive Vice President, with presence of Zhang Lijun, Vice Minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration and Ji Lin, Deputy Mayor of Beijing.

   The signing of MOU will enable both parties to effectively cooperate on collection and sharing of environment information, as well as the environmental promotion and education. It symbolizes that the preparation for Beijing 2008 Olympics is moving a step forward to the direction of sustainable development.

   8.2 Hosting a Green Olympics pioneered by science and technology

Executive Vice-President and Secretary-General Wang Wei making a presentation

   On May 25, Wang Wei, BOCOG Executive Vice-President and Secretary-General attended the International Investment Forum on China Environment and Resource Protection in the "8th China Beijing International High-tech Expo" and gave a keynote speech.

   He discussed the relations between technology and "Green Olympics" from the perspectives of Olympic venue construction, technology service system and urban transportation facilities, etc. To promote the sustainable development of economy, society and environment, Beijing will, pioneered by technology, greatly boost the applications of new energy resources and materials to stage a "Green" Olympics to the world.

   8.3 Sports and Environment Conference

   In 2005, at the 6th World Conference on Sports and Environment, BOCOG presented the environment management system, environment communication and the environmental progress in Beijing and broadcast the promotion video "Green Olympics - We are ACTING".

   Mr. Pal Schmitt, Chairman of IOC Sport and Environment Commission commented that, with a very good environmental treatment plan, Beijing has won support of the public in its environmental work and will be able to achieve its goals for Green Olympics.

   8.4 Guidance of the International Olympic Committee

IOC environmental advisors Olav Myrholt and Simon Balderstone at the Environmental Technical meeting

   Besides the two IOC COCOM Working Group meetings in March and August, the annual Environmental Technical Meeting was held from 11 to 13 May, 2005. IOC environmental advisors were updated on the progress in Green Olympics and made some valuable advice.