London 2012 Spectators Invited to set New Carbon Offset World Record

London (ots/PRNewswire) -

- Olympic and Paralympic Hopefuls Lead Call for Ticketholders to
Neutralise Their Travel Carbon Footprint to the Games

In supporting the ambition for London 2012 to be the most
sustainable Games possible, BP Target Neutral announced today that
they are inviting London 2012 ticketholders, from across the world,
to try and set a new world record for the most number of people
offsetting their travel carbon to a single event.

In so doing, BP's not-for-profit Target Neutral carbon management
scheme is seeking to create awareness of the environmental impact of
all journeys and will invite ticketholders to sign up to have their
travel carbon footprint offset at no cost to themselves.

As the London 2012 official Carbon Offset Partner, BP Target
Neutral will be providing the administration and funds to offset the
carbon emissions from Games-related travel of ticketholders. The more
people that sign up, the more Target Neutral can support low carbon
development projects worldwide.

A personal invitation to participate will be emailed by The
London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games
(LOCOG) to ticketholders on Monday, October 3, inviting them to take
part in this unprecedented world record attempt.

JESSICA ENNIS, TEAM GB HEPTATHLETE & BP TARGET NEUTRAL ATHLETE
AMBASSADOR said:

"BP's Target Neutral is so simple to be part of and it's free.
With us all working together we can really make a difference and help
make London 2012 the most sustainable Games possible. So come on,
it's quick and easy to do! If you're a ticketholder, please help to
set a new world record at London 2012 of the largest number of people
to offset the carbon footprint of their travel to a single event."

SEB COE, Chair of LOCOG said:

"Sustainability underpins all of our plans - and has done since
the bid. BP's Target Neutral scheme is a fantastic opportunity for
millions to offset their carbon footprint and help London 2012 to
inspire positive social, economic and environmental change for the
future. "

PETER MATHER, UK & VICE PRESIDENT, EUROPE REGION BP, announcing
the initiative, said:

"We want to encourage people to play their part in tackling the
impact of their travel on our environment. Today's announcement
supports Target Neutral's overriding ambition that, through
collective action, individuals can work together to make a real
difference to the environment as they seek to reduce their carbon
footprint, and then offset what is left.

"We believe this mass offset opportunity will raise awareness
about the challenge we all face in living more sustainably and will
engage people who might never before have thought about the carbon
impact of their travel choices. We need every spectator to sign up,
so London 2012 becomes the world's largest offset as measured by
number of participants."

Some outstanding British Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls -
Jessica Ennis, Lizzie Armitstead, Richard Whitehead, Shelly Woods,
Stef Reid and William Sharman - are working hard to reduce their
carbon footprint and sharing their experiences.

All carbon emissions will be offset from a portfolio of six
carbon offset projects that have been chosen to represent each
continental region participating in the Games. These projects have
been carefully selected and are compliant with ICROA Code of Best
Practice.

Ticketholders should visit
http://www.bptargetneutral.com/london2012 or Facebook page
http://on.fb.me/BPtargetneutral to register their journey to the
Olympics and be part of making London 2012 the most sustainable Games
possible.

EDITORS NOTES

1. ABOUT BP TARGET NEUTRAL

Target Neutral was set up in 2006 as part of BP's broader
commitment to practical sustainability. It is a not-for-profit carbon
management program, which encourages consumers to reduce, replace and
neutralise their carbon emissions from transport. BP covers Target
Neutral's operating costs ensuring that all the money paid to offset
is used to support genuine carbon offset projects that also have
positive local environmental and socio-economic benefits.

BP Target Neutral is a founding member of ICROA, the
International Carbon Reduction and Offsetting Alliance which has
recently merged with IETA, the International Emissions Trading
Association.

For more information please visit http://www.targetneutral.com

2. ABOUT THE LONDON 2012 OFFSET

The world record attempt supports Target Neutral's overriding
ambition that, through collective action, individuals can work
together to make a real difference for the environment as they
reduce, replace and neutralise their carbon footprint.

Whether travelling by planes, cars or public transport to London
2012, spectators will be able to offset their carbon emissions free
of charge by simply registering their journey on the Target Neutral
website or via the Facebook page.

Spectators heading to the Games from across the world will be
asked to confirm where they are travelling from and their CO2
emissions will then be calculated to be offset by BP.

The travel footprint estimate is based on LOCOG's foot printing
study of March 2010. A full methodology statement used to calculate
journey emissions on a per country basis was developed for BP Target
Neutral by Environmental Resource Management (ERM), is available from
http://www.bptargetneutral.com/london2012.

Ernst & Young has reviewed the Target Neutral London 2012
spectator programme in order to provide an objective assessment of
BP's description of the assumptions, method and reporting principles
used within ERM's methodology.

3. ABOUT RECORD-SETTING MEASUREMENT AND CARBON OFFSET MECHANICS

The programme aims to offset the carbon footprint of millions of
spectators and Games participants generated through their journeys to
the Games. BP Target Neutral is aiming to set a world record for the
largest number of people participating to offset carbon emissions
associated with travel to an event. So, the more people that get
behind the scheme the more impressive the record will be, leaving a
legacy that all future Olympic Games can follow. Research suggests it
is the first time the setting of a world record such as this has been
attempted.

ots Originaltext: BP Target Neutral
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
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contact: BP Group Press Office, T: +44(0)207-496-4076, E:
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