Background The overall concept of the project was to explore how the environmental performance of the 2004 Olympic Games could be improved by environmental management systems such as EMAS, and to use this as a basis for guidance on improving the environmental performance of all kinds of future sports and possibly cultural events. The organisation of such large-scale events has a significant impact on the cities that host them and ultimately on the environment. The high concentration of people in a rather limited area for a two-week period results in greatly increased production of waste, increased consumption of water and energy, deterioration of air quality, and increased noise levels. The city of Amaroussion hosted 70 percent of the 2004 Olympic Games in the Olympic Sports Complex (OAKA), and was therefore the main carrier of the environmental burden of the event. The project used the occasion of the Summer Olympic Games of 2004 to raise awareness about the impact of large sports events and the influence of the enormous purchasing power of such games to influence procurement and consumption patterns. It was planned that the outcomes would contribute to the promotion of sustainable development principles in the wider community. Objectives The project had seven objectives: To provide guidelines for use by organisers of major sporting events; To contribute to the promotion of sustainable development principles in the wider community; To explore ways of improving the environmental performance of local authorities; To develop a community consultation process starting discussions from the Olympic Games and expanding it to other major issues; To demonstrate how the purchasing power of local authorities and major events such as the Olympics could be used as a leverage for green business and sustainable economic development; To demonstrate the applicability of EMAS in non-industrial sectors (local authorities, sporting facilities and events), thus supporting the implementation of the new EMAS regulation; To support the implementation of EMAS in Greece, where participation was low. Results By the end of the project the following results had been achieved: 1. Implementation of EMAS in selected municipal departments EMAS was implemented in the following departments: Environmental Office, Financial Department, Municipal Transport Company and Operations Division. 2. Production of guidance material for the development of EMAS for local government This Guide provides some background information on EMAS for municipalities, elaborates on the respective costs and benefits and goes through each of the EMAS steps (e.g. Environmental Policy, Environmental Review). It has been produced in both Greek and English. 3. Implementation of EMAS in selected municipal sports facilities The EMAS Manual was developed for selected municipal sport facilities (basketball indoors and open courts, volleyball courts, tennis courts and swimming centre). In addition, an environmental programme was formulated for each sports facility. However, it was decided to proceed in the first instance with the implementation of the environmental programme for the swimming centre. 4. Production of guidance material for the development of EMAS in sport facilities The guidance document has been designed to help sport facility decision-makers (principally facilities operators and most probably event organisers) to identify key environmental issues, develop strategies to tackle them, set targets to focus their efforts, monitor progress, use the available information for continuous improvement and, finally, combine all the above elements in a coherent environmental management system in accordance with EMAS requirements. It has been produced in Greek and English, and includes some case studies and a Green Games Scorecard. 5. Production of guidance material for the environmentally-friendly management of sport events The purpose of this guidance material is to assist the environmental manager of major sport events in organising, conducting and communicating his/her work more effectively. The Guide has been produced in Greek and English. 6. Public consultation process Near the completion of the project and shortly before the launch of the 2004 Olympic Games, a workshop with community stakeholders was organised at the City Hall. Based on the discussions that took place during the meeting the Community Vision document was drafted, which reflected the public's priority concerns concerning the environmental performance of the Municipality of Amaroussion and the Games. 7. Organisation of environmental training seminars One week after the workshop with the community stakeholders, an environmental training seminar was organised at the City Hall. During the seminar the environmental management systems of the municipal departments and the municipal sports facilities were presented whilst the participants, 35 people in total (directors of municipal departments and sports facilities, sponsors, ATHOC and media) had the opportunity to discuss simple ways in which everyone can contribute to the minimisation of the environmental impacts of the Games. 8. Monitoring performance of EMAS in the selected municipal departments and sports facilities The internal audit programme was developed in accordance with the EMAS regulation supported by ISO 14010 and ISO 14011 related EMAS procedures, whilst a series of performance indicators were developed as part of the environmental programme. In addition to those indicators, and in order to follow more closely the implementation of EMAS, new indicators were developed for each selected department/sports facility, related to the environmental impacts dealt with under the respective environmental programmes. 9. Monitoring the Games A report was produced on the environmental performance of the Olympic Sports Complex during the recent Olympic and Paralympic Games. It details the environmental performance of the Games in each of the following areas: energy and water resources, atmosphere, transportation, waste, landscape and environmental awareness. 10. Evaluation Evaluation was an ongoing task, starting when the project was launched and ending with the end of the project. The aim was to evaluate the quality of procedures leading to the final outcomes, the final outcomes themselves and dissemination activities. For the purposes of evaluation an 'Evaluation Board' was formed, consisting of in-house and external consultants. 11. Dissemination Dissemination activities took place throughout the project and included the following amongst others: The project web page (www.marouss2004.gr), in both Greek and English, provides some general information about the project whilst allowing the downloading of all public deliverables; Publication of five newsletters in Greek, and three newsletters in English, tracking the progress of the project; Publication of three newsletters in English; Publication of promotional leaflets, which were distributed during the Games, with practical tips on the contribution each visitor could make towards the protection and conservation of the environment; Publication of the three guidance documents, in Greek and English; Organization of an international conference with more than 180 participants; Presentation of the GALA project to conferences; Press releases in conjunction with project milestones.