An examination of a city greening mega-event

Green mega-events have become popular, but few critical examinations of these events have been conducted. This study aimed to fill this gap by identifying present and absent factors in the greening framework of a mega-event hosted by a city in China. Using the 2011 International Horticultural Exposition in Xi'an as a case study, green practices from bidding to preparing to hosting were identified and analyzed. The results showed that (1) pollution control, improvements in the ecosystem services supply, greening of industry, and a sustainable transport strategy were utilized to enable a greener urban eco-environment, greener industries, and a more efficient transport system. (2) Hospitality management ignored solid waste minimization, eco-procurement, and the greening of visitors. And (3) a typical hierarchical model of greening governance was utilized, and an environmental certification and a participatory mechanism for various stakeholders were lacking. These findings contribute to the event management field by modeling greening principles and highlighting the similarities and differences in mega-event greening.