Swiss Environment Minister Leuenberger and his Austrian counterpart,
Josef Proll, signed a "sustainability charter" on Monday aiming
to make the Euro 2008 football championships greener, the official Swissinfo
website reported.
One of the aims of the charter, which was signed in the Austrian capital
of Vienna, is to encourage fans to travel to the matches by train or bus,
according to the report.
"We have invested in the public transport system and want visitors
to the Euro 2008 to leave their cars at home," said Leuenberger,
whose country and Austria will jointly host the tournament.
He added that both Switzerland and Austria are alpine countries and therefore
particularly affected by climate change.
According to Swissinfo, Switzerland hopes that 80 percent of the Euro
2008 fans will use public transport. The goal for Austria is 60 percent.
Proll said he was convinced that the new sustainability standards were
a "milestone" and that a "green tournament" would
have a positive impact for Austria.
The sustainability charter for the Euro 2008 also includes economic and
social aspects, according to the Swissinfo report.
Leuenberger said Switzerland and Austria could boost their good image
as tourist destinations by putting newly built infrastructure to long-term
use.
The organizers also said they wanted to promote organic food and offer
soft drinks for a cheaper price than alcoholic beverages. Alcohol in stadiums
has been banned.
Other prevention measures include combating the sex trade and prostitution.
Special attention is also being given to anti-racism and fan liaison efforts.
Switzerland is hosting 15 of the 31 matches of the Euro 2008. More than
5 million people are expected to travel to watch games in the stadiums
and on big screens during the three-week tournament.
