Approved in July 2007 by the International Olympic Committee,
the inaugural 2010 Summer Youth Olympic Games (YOG) will be followed by the 2012 Winter YOG,
2014 Summer YOG, 2016 Winter YOG ... and so on ... in alternate years to the current "Professional" Olympic
Games.
Wait a minute. Not so fast.
Consider that at this time, it goes against common sense for humanity to accept further International Olympic Committee global
events at the moment we seek to protect our children by reducing carbon emissions.
The Youth Olympic Games would sensibly be launched in global celebration
once we have resolved the risk of climate change.
Finally, the Youth Olympic Games have been announced in main stream media
Well, not really -
Olympics chief warns west was the title of front-page article published in the Financial Times on April 26.
The west must stop
hectoring China over human rights, the Olympics chief has warned... was the lead.
Deep in the middle
of the article, a tiny reference was made to the Youth Olympic Games:
Mr Rogge has steered the IOC through internal
reform, cleaning it of corruption and tightening up on doping control. He has busied himself with more prosaic matters such
as a cap on the number of Olympic sports and the setting up of a youth games.
Why hasn't the International Olympic Committee announced
their new Youth Olympic Games in main stream media? Are they afraid an announcement will start a debate over their
unnecessary new emissions and climate change?
The Climate Change and Greenhouse
Emissions Reduction Act 2007 made South Australia the first place in Australia to legislate targets to reduce
greenhouse emissions.
The
legislation targets reduction of greenhouse gas emissions within the State by at least 60% to an amount that is equal to or
less than 40% of 1990 levels by 2050 as part of a national and international response to climate change.
The legislation also commits the Government to work with business and the
community to develop and put in place strategies that will put South Australia in a position to take early action to reduce
greenhouse emissions and adapt to climate change.
The Climate Change and Greenhouse Emissions
Reduction Act 2007 made South Australia the first place in Australia to legislate targets to reduce greenhouse
emissions.
The legislation
targets reduction of greenhouse gas emissions within the State by at least 60% to an amount that is equal to or less than
40% of 1990 levels by 2050 as part of a national and international response to climate change.
The legislation also commits the Government to work with business and the community to develop
and put in place strategies that will put South Australia in a position to take early action to reduce greenhouse emissions
and adapt to climate change.
Last month, the European Union confirmed that it seeks to reach climate change legislation agreement by the end of 2008
At a March 15 conference, Stavros DIMAS, European Commission Member responsible for the environment, noted that European
Union climate change legislation is imminent:
"Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am confident that Member States and the European Parliament are fully committed to a swift adoption
of the Climate Action and Renewable Energy package. The conclusions of the European Council, aiming at an agreement in 2008,
and the preparatory work in the European Parliament are very encouraging.
Have the Youth Olympic Games been announced in the United States by NBC, ABC, CBS,
CNN, or by other major media outlets? No. These outlets remain silent. The question is why?
Could it be because
an official US announcement of the Youth Olympic Games has potential to start a debate about the unneccessary greenhouse
gas emissions to be added by this new International Olympic Committee mega-event? The question we need
to address: Is it in the interest of humanity to launch a new global mega-event at the time the world seeks
to reduce existing emissions? However, if the Youth Olympic Games are not officially announced in the US, does this succeed
in stopping any debate before it gets started?
This week, a high school student broke through the silence. Tori
Henry, a freshman at La Salle-Peru Township High School submitted a short article to her local newspaper called the News
Tribune (serving North Central Illinois). The article entitled Teen Olympics on the Way states "One of the little
known facts about the recent Olympics though, is the approval of the Youth Olympic Games by the International Olympic Committee
(IOC)." www.newstrib.com
In February, British Columbia became the first province in Canada to introduce a carbon tax to fight climate change
British Columbia wrote into law an aggressive agenda to fight climate change that includes plans to cut greenhouse
emissions by one-third by 2020.
B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell said too little has been done to fight global
warming, a problem "which is literally threatening life on earth as we know it."
The answer is for Jacques Rogges to hold off on launching his Youth Olympic Games until humanity decides that increasing
greenhouse gas emissions are not a risk to life.
Why the rush to launch in 2010? By rushing to launch,
Mr. Rogge and the International Olympic Committee are beating the forthcoming CO2 emission caps.
At a March 15 conference, Stavros DIMAS, European Commission Member responsible for the environment, noted that European
Union climate change legislation is imminent: 
British Columbia wrote into law an aggressive agenda to fight climate change that includes plans to cut greenhouse
emissions by one-third by 2020. 
The answer is for Jacques Rogges to hold off on launching his Youth Olympic Games until humanity decides that increasing
greenhouse gas emissions are not a risk to life. 
Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee, arrived at the VIP complex in Singapore Changi International
Airport today. 
