Small cetaceans are amongst the most well loved and charismatic creatures on the planet.

We have a duty to rescue our closest living relatives as part of our wider responsibilities to conserve the ecosystems they inhabit

We have a duty to rescue our closest living relatives as part of our wider responsibilities to conserve the ecosystems they inhabit.

These facts are especially poignant when you factor in the impact of climate change which is triggering more extreme weather events like droughts.

It is a moral issue of the highest importance. By conserving the habitats of the great apes, we are helping to overcome poverty and to conserve the natural wealth upon which current and future human generations depend. It seems a small price to pay.

One area that the IOC might wish review is the issue of recycling of sporting infrastructure. Take bobsleigh for example. TOROC did a great job to try and mitigate its environmental impact. But the fact remains that constructing, operating and maintaining what is effectively a huge fridge in the mountains raises many fundamental questions of sustainability.