The Host City: London!
On July 6, 2005, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) selected London to host the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. London will become the first city to present the Summer Olympic Games three times, having previously hosted the Games in 1908 and 1948 respectively. Similar to the outcome of previous Olympic Games’ post-selection decisions, concerns arose over London’s financial potential as host. This created criticism and controversy from some of the United Kingdom’s journalists. However, optimism over London’s redevelopment and sustainability plans have triumphed anxieties. Most prominently, London has built the 500-acre Olympic Park – home to nine separate Olympic facilities – which includes the multi-purpose, 80,000 seat Olympic Stadium.
It has been just over a century since London first played host to the Olympic Games, and the ever-changing socio-cultural and socio-economic conditions will once again shape the Olympic landscape for the 2012 Summer Games in London. During the 1908 Games, Great Britain dominated the medal count, leading the way with 146 total medals including 56 gold medals. In 1948, fortunes changed for Great Britain. Unfortunately for the home country, Great Britain placed twelfth in total medals, earning a mere three gold medals. The 1948 games proved fortunate for the red, white, and blue, as the United States won 84 total medals, including 38 gold medal victories. Athletes, coaches, citizens, fans, and entire countries are counting down the days until July 26 – the first day of the Summer 2012 London Olympics.
It has been just over a century since London first played host to the Olympic Games, and the ever-changing socio-cultural and socio-economic conditions will once again shape the Olympic landscape for the 2012 Summer Games in London. During the 1908 Games, Great Britain dominated the medal count, leading the way with 146 total medals including 56 gold medals. In 1948, fortunes changed for Great Britain. Unfortunately for the home country, Great Britain placed twelfth in total medals, earning a mere three gold medals. The 1948 games proved fortunate for the red, white, and blue, as the United States won 84 total medals, including 38 gold medal victories. Athletes, coaches, citizens, fans, and entire countries are counting down the days until July 26 – the first day of the Summer 2012 London Olympics.
Culture and Traditions
London is objectively one of the economic and cultural centers of the world, evidenced by its third Olympic Games selection. Many of London’s traditions were around hundreds of years prior to the first London Games in 1908, and still survive today. For example, the “Changing of the Guard” is perhaps the epitome of London’s pageantry and has been a marvelous spectacle at Buckingham Palace since 1867. Several other cultural landmarks that have been in London throughout all three Olympic Games include, but are not limited to the Tower of London, St. James’ Palace, and Windsor Castle.
In addition to London’s unprecedented architecture, the city boasts 85% of the fashion designers in the UK, twelve arts and culture Higher Education Institutes, 32,000 music performances yearly, 200 annual festivals, and over 17,000 theatrical performances each year. While it is arguable whether London is the premier cultural city in the world, it is undeniable that London has been – and remains – a cultural hub filled with century-long traditions. London has a rich history of hosting the Olympic Games, and below are posters from the 1908 and 1948 Games.
People, Ethnicity, Diversity
The greater London area is currently 69.7.% White, 13.2% Asian, 10.1% Black, 3.5% Chinese, and 3.5% Mixed. The inner city of London is even less diverse, with 82.3% White. Fortunately, total population data for London in 1908, 1948, and 2012 is available. Whereas most city’s populations have boomed over the last century, London has actually been relatively stagnant, even decreasing some since the 1940s. In 1908, London’s total population was just over 7 million, which rose to approximately 8.5 million inhabitants in by the mid-1940s. Contemporary London’s total population is around 7.5 million people.
According to London 2012's website,
According to London 2012's website,
- Over 300 languages are spoken throughout London by schoolchildren – for more than one-third of these children, English is not the language they speak at home.
- The most common languages spoken are: English, Bengali and Silheti, Panjabi, Gujerati and Hindi or Urdu.
- There are 200 different ethnic communities in London.
Governance and Power
London, England is part of the greater United Kingdom which has a constitutional government (technically a monarchy, but not in practice). The government is responsible to Parliament, which is elected by the people. The current Prime Minister is David Cameron of the Conservative Party, and he selected the other ministers and or the cabinet. Although the Queen Elizabeth II is hardly politically active, she still is officially titled the Chief of State in the United Kingdom. The Queen has the power to both appoint and dismiss the Prime Minister. The Prime minister conducts business in Westminister, London, and official cabinet meetings also occur in this location.
On a local level, London's government is broken into two tiers: an upper and a lower tier. The upper tier consists of the Greater London Authority, an elected mayor (currently Conservative Boris Johnson), and the London Assembly. The mayor essentially has executive powers, while the Assembly is a check on his power or a legislative branch.
The lower tier consists of the 32 borough councils and is responsible for local issues such as schools, roads, and social services.
On a local level, London's government is broken into two tiers: an upper and a lower tier. The upper tier consists of the Greater London Authority, an elected mayor (currently Conservative Boris Johnson), and the London Assembly. The mayor essentially has executive powers, while the Assembly is a check on his power or a legislative branch.
The lower tier consists of the 32 borough councils and is responsible for local issues such as schools, roads, and social services.
Environmental and Healthcare Concerns
London put the term "sustainability" at the forefront of its campaign to win the bid for the Summer 2012 Olympics. The irony in this is that an article from the Financial Times stated that "if the entire world's population lived a typical British lifestyle people would require the resources of three planets." London is not an outlier for a metropolis of over 7 million, but the city's smog, air pollution, and other ground level air pollutants could undoubtedly have a negative affect on athletic performance. This is especially true for endurance events that require heavy breathing.
The same Financial Times article stated that "according to a recent estimate, the games will produce 3.4m tonnes of CO2. This compares with total annual UK emissions of around 550m tonnes." The full article is here: http://www.actionsustainability.com/news/174/2012-Olympics-a-mixed-record-so-far-on-environmental-issues/
On the bright side, David Stubbs, the director of sustainability for the organizing committee said, "No-one had tried to calculate the complete carbon footprint of a Summer Games, and no-one had built an 80,000-seat stadium as light in structure and environmental impact as ours. "By building venues that are more akin to what is on the hire market, then it is possible to choose material that exists already." "I think that is a really significant thing," he added. As a result, he said, it was possible to cut carbon emissions by about 100,000 tonnes, the equivalent of taking 65,000 cars off the road for 12 months. As well as carbon emissions, Mr Stubbs said the development of the 250-hectare main site included the goal of developing the largest urban parkland in Europe for more than 150 years. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13160540)
Unlike the United States, England has nationalized public healthcare, predominantly funded by the National Health Service (NHS). While some eye, dental, and prescription treatments are out of pocket and private, it is free to go see a general practitioner. Proponents believe that healthcare is a fundamental human right, while opponents such as many conservative Americans feel that it is a brand of socialism. This YouTube video defends England's healthcare system:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RhjcztvgLA. London emphatically displayed its pride for NHS during the Opening Ceremonies.
The same Financial Times article stated that "according to a recent estimate, the games will produce 3.4m tonnes of CO2. This compares with total annual UK emissions of around 550m tonnes." The full article is here: http://www.actionsustainability.com/news/174/2012-Olympics-a-mixed-record-so-far-on-environmental-issues/
On the bright side, David Stubbs, the director of sustainability for the organizing committee said, "No-one had tried to calculate the complete carbon footprint of a Summer Games, and no-one had built an 80,000-seat stadium as light in structure and environmental impact as ours. "By building venues that are more akin to what is on the hire market, then it is possible to choose material that exists already." "I think that is a really significant thing," he added. As a result, he said, it was possible to cut carbon emissions by about 100,000 tonnes, the equivalent of taking 65,000 cars off the road for 12 months. As well as carbon emissions, Mr Stubbs said the development of the 250-hectare main site included the goal of developing the largest urban parkland in Europe for more than 150 years. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13160540)
Unlike the United States, England has nationalized public healthcare, predominantly funded by the National Health Service (NHS). While some eye, dental, and prescription treatments are out of pocket and private, it is free to go see a general practitioner. Proponents believe that healthcare is a fundamental human right, while opponents such as many conservative Americans feel that it is a brand of socialism. This YouTube video defends England's healthcare system:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RhjcztvgLA. London emphatically displayed its pride for NHS during the Opening Ceremonies.
Economic Development
According to the "Big Four" public accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers, London has the sixth largest economy on the planet, with a total GDP of nearly $600 billion and an average GDP per capita at almost $75,000. Similar to most other metropolises, London's economy is almost entirely service based, with 85% of jobs in the service sector. While the service economy has been prosperous and does have its advantages, it also has many disadvantages as evidenced by the recession. London was greatly affected by the recession because of the city's reliance on the financial service sector, and is still experiencing some of the results of the subprime mortgage collapse. London's construction, manufacturing, and agricultural sectors create minimal economic impact compared to services.
London has not always been reliant on the service industry. The United Kingdom, and London in particular, was one of the initial pioneers of the Industrial Revolution. This was emphatically displayed during the Opening Ceremony. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, London transformed from a manual labor economy into a manufacturing powerhouse. This also led to a transition towards urbanism and city jobs as opposed to agricultural based ones. The 1900th century was highlighted by free trade, capitalism, and Britain's invention of railroads.
Unfortunately for London, Great Britain's participation in both WWI and WWII were devastating to London's economy. Things were so bad after WWII that the entire era was coined the "Austerity Era," and the 1948 London Olympics the Austerity Games. After WWII, a new government turned Great Britain into a semi-socialized state, with national healthcare, social security, and other government initiatives. The economy was nationalized.
In 1980, Margaret Thatcher instituted a more conservative approach, deregulating the economy and privatizing businesses. These economic policies have more or less stayed consistent. Today, London has several major business districts, but none greater than London city and Westminister.
London has not always been reliant on the service industry. The United Kingdom, and London in particular, was one of the initial pioneers of the Industrial Revolution. This was emphatically displayed during the Opening Ceremony. In the late 1700s and early 1800s, London transformed from a manual labor economy into a manufacturing powerhouse. This also led to a transition towards urbanism and city jobs as opposed to agricultural based ones. The 1900th century was highlighted by free trade, capitalism, and Britain's invention of railroads.
Unfortunately for London, Great Britain's participation in both WWI and WWII were devastating to London's economy. Things were so bad after WWII that the entire era was coined the "Austerity Era," and the 1948 London Olympics the Austerity Games. After WWII, a new government turned Great Britain into a semi-socialized state, with national healthcare, social security, and other government initiatives. The economy was nationalized.
In 1980, Margaret Thatcher instituted a more conservative approach, deregulating the economy and privatizing businesses. These economic policies have more or less stayed consistent. Today, London has several major business districts, but none greater than London city and Westminister.
Geography and Landmarks
The city is globally recognized as a financial center and is located on the River Thames. The vast greater London region covers over 607 square miles, while the London Metropolitan Region covers 3,236 square miles. Because of London’s close proximity to the ocean, climate is rather temperate. Average summer temperatures range between 71-75 degrees Fahrenheit. It should be noted, however, that average summer temperatures have consistently risen over the last two decades due to global warming, which could have an affect on Olympians.
The number of landmarks in London are endless, and several were discussed previously under the culture section. As the host of the 2012 Summer Olympics, London now boasts a major new landmark with the addition of Olympic Park. Undeniably the most photographed landmark in London is Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Most tourists think that Big Ben is the clock tower, but in reality it is the name of the bell that rings every hour.
The Tower Bridge, Tower of London, and Buckingham Palace are other landmarks littered throughout London and visited by millions of tourists each year. London is such a global city, that even some streets are considered landmarks. Downing Street, Oxford Street, Carnaby, and Picadilly Circus are frequent attractions, as well as Leicester and Trafalgar Squares.
The number of landmarks in London are endless, and several were discussed previously under the culture section. As the host of the 2012 Summer Olympics, London now boasts a major new landmark with the addition of Olympic Park. Undeniably the most photographed landmark in London is Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Most tourists think that Big Ben is the clock tower, but in reality it is the name of the bell that rings every hour.
The Tower Bridge, Tower of London, and Buckingham Palace are other landmarks littered throughout London and visited by millions of tourists each year. London is such a global city, that even some streets are considered landmarks. Downing Street, Oxford Street, Carnaby, and Picadilly Circus are frequent attractions, as well as Leicester and Trafalgar Squares.