Russia

Triggered by recommendations from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the organizers of the 2014 Winter Olympics in the city of Sochi in south-west Russia will relocate several facilities from a protected wilderness area. Organizers will find different sites for the bobsleigh and luge tracks and the mountain village ? originally planned for construction on the edge of a fragile nature reserve ? as suggested by the agency?s report from this May. UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner welcomed what he characterized as the Russian Government?s ?strong commitment to environmental sustainability? for the Olympics at Sochi, a Black Sea resort city. (UN News Service)