Olympic Games Rio 2016
The Challenge
As the Official Carbon Partner of the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee, Dow committed to delivering third-party-verified primary climate benefits of 500,000 tons of CO2e by 2026 to balance the owned emissions of the Organizing Committee. Dow and Rio 2016 also collaborated to enable an additional 1.5 million tons of CO2e in climate benefits to compensate for emissions beyond the direct control and influence of the Organizing Committee, such as those resulting from travel, lodging and other activities.
The Abraça (‘Embrace’) Sustainability Program for the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee
As the Official Carbon Partner of the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee, Dow developed the most comprehensive carbon mitigation program in the history of the Olympic Games to help fulfill the commitment of hosting the Olympic Games Rio 2016 with minimal carbon impact and build capacity for low carbon technologies across Latin America.
The project portfolio is designed to impact key sectors in Brazil and Latin America and will enable industries to do more with less, switch to lower carbon energy sources and conserve energy through efficient solutions. These projects go beyond business as usual operations to achieve more innovation, overcome barriers and catalyze long-term change in market practices.
Delivering Tangible Results
Working with NatureBank as our carbon consultant, we quantified the emission reductions associated with our projects and demonstrated how these emission reductions go beyond business as usual.
We selected Environmental Resources Management (ERM) to provide third-party validation of the Project Plans against the Dow Climate Solutions Framework and verify GHG emission reductions. In addition, ERM conducts an assessment of forecasted generation of climate benefits based on verified evidence.
Implemented Projects
Agriculture
Project Name: Restoration of Pastureland to Improve Range Efficiency
Impact: Partnering with a leading agriculture group, the project promotes restoration of pastureland resulting in increased soil carbon sequestration and supports intensification of livestock production.
Case study: Download
Winning Collaborations
- Dow AgroSciences Brazil
- Roncador Group
- 24 partner farms in Mato Grosso region in Brazil
Project Name: Precision Agriculture Nitrogen Emission Management
Impact: The project introduces precision agriculture technology, seeds and crop protection solutions to help farmers in Mato Grosso optimize crop productivity and reduce GHG emissions.
Case study: Download
Press release: Dow Implements Sustainable Agriculture in Brazil as Part of Carbon Mitigation Program for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Winning Collaborations
- Dow AgroSciences Brazil
- Farmers Edge
- Irriger
- Seven partner farms in Mato Grosso region in Brazil
Industry and Energy
Project Name: Aratu Biomass Cogeneration
Impact: This project adopts groundbreaking power and steam generation technologies (cogeneration) from eucalyptus and sugarcane biomass to replace fossil fuels (mainly natural natural gas) and significantly reduce GHG emissions at two Dow sites in Brazil.
Case study: Download
Winning Collaborations
- Dow Brazil
- Energias Renovaveis do Brasil (ERB)
Project Name: Santa Vitória Cogeneration
Impact: The Santa Vitória facility was the first in Brazil to employ a new business model to efficiently generate electricity, steam and water for an ethanol plant.
Case study: Download
Winning Collaborations
- Dow Brazil
- Energias Renovaveis do Brasil (ERB)
Project Name: Microfoamed-core Flexible Packaging Production
Impact: This project is working with plastic film manufacturers in five countries (Brazil, Argentina, Guatemala, Mexico and Colombia) to enable the adoption of Dow’s proprietary microfoaming technology, which increases manufacturing productivity and results in lighter films. This technology reduces the GHG footprint of the film while maintaining the same functional properties for the packaging.
Case study: Download
Press release: Read More
Project video: Microfoaming Packaging Technology – For a Lighter World
Winning Collaborations
- Dow Packaging & Specialty Plastics, Brazil
- Film manufacturers: Valfilm, Petropack, Folmex and Plastilene
- Equipment manufacturer: MuCell Extrusion
Construction & Infrastructure
Project Name: Educating the Value Chain About Polyurethane Insulation in Construction
Impact: Engaging with the construction value chain in Brazil, Argentina and Colombia, the project encourages the adoption of polyurethane-based insulation technologies for operational and environmental benefits. Achieving significant energy savings by using these foam core panels instead of conventional block walls, can help reduce building operation energy costs and limit GHG emissions.
Case study: Download
Project website: http://www.insulationinconstruction.com
Project videos: Thermal Insulation Technology Improved Energy Efficiency in the Infrastructure Industry
Dow Polyurethanes | Insulation Challenge
Winning Collaborations
- Dow Polyurethanes, Brazil
- Danica-Zipco, Brazil
- Isoeste, Brazil
- MBP-Isoblock, Brazil
- Acerolatina, Argentina
- Friostar, Argentina
- Plaquimet, Argentina
- Sipanel, Argentina
Project Name: Blowing Agent Conversion for Polyurethane Foamed-core Door Panels
Impact: Dow worked with customers in Argentina and Mexico to modify formulations and eliminate from their manufacturing process the use of gases with high global warming potential (GWP), reducing carbon emissions embodied in construction materials.
- Dow Polyurethanes, Brazil
- Termo Puertas, Mexico
Project Name: Blowing Agent Conversion for Polyurethane Sandwich Panels
Description: Dow worked with customers in Argentina and Mexico to modify formulations and eliminate from their manufacturing process the use of gases with high global warming potential (GWP), reducing carbon emissions embodied in construction materials.
Winning Collaborations
- Dow Polyurethanes, Brazil
- Friostar, Argentina
Education
Project Name: The Transforma Program in Brazil
Impact: To broaden awareness of climate change and related issues, we partnered with Rio 2016 through the Transforma program to reach more than 7 million students in Brazil with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curricula in 2016. This program leveraged the Olympic Games to demonstrate the applicability and relevance of science, and as an opportunity to teach sustainable practices that students can use in their everyday lives.
Case study: Download
Press release:Dow Becomes Official Partner of Transforma, Adding Science Content to the Rio 2016 Education Program (August 2016)
Worldwide Olympic Partners Bridgestone and Dow Team with Rio 2016 to Advance Education through Sport
Winning Collaborations
- Transforma (STEM)
- BridgeStone
Locations
