Last year, UNEP released a report of Beijing’s progress towards a Green Olympics. The report is comprehensive, though the press release is a more manageable (and still relatively detailed) read. Overall it seems Beijing has done an excellent job, though the focus has been, typically, more on a) tangible and physical improvements (i.e. less on the awareness raising) and b) dealing with problems, rather than preventing them (i.e. treating waste, rather than really trying to reduce waste). The press release (which I recommend reading) summarises:

Remaining Concerns include Air Pollution; Offsetting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Public Awareness and Need to Boost Public Transport Use

Significant strides are being made to ‘green’ the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, a report issued today by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says.

The hosting of the Games is also proving to be a catalyst for accelerating environmental improvements across the city as Beijing strives to balance rapid, often double-digit economic growth with health and environmental protection.

“The more than $12 billion spent by the Municipal Government and Government of China, appears to have been well spent-and will be even more well spent if the lessons learnt and measures adopted are picked up by municipalities across the country so as to leave a real and lasting nationwide legacy,” he added.

Indeed, if many of the innovative practices can be scaled up, the effect could be tremendous. One will have to see if, post-Olympics, the Olympic brand can still be used to help!