Greening the Games: What Paris 2024 Teaches Us About Sustainability
24 Dec 2024
Photo by Xavier Praillet - Unsplash
The Olympics is a cornerstone of global inter-cultural exchange and diplomacy, offering a platform for nations to come together in a celebration of friendly competition, unity, and shared human achievement. From the vibrant energy of Rio de Janeiro to the grandeur of Paris, the Games draw millions of visitors, creating opportunities for host cities to showcase their culture, strengthen international ties, and benefit from significant economic activity before and during the event.
However, hosting the Olympics is not without its complexities. While the investments in new infrastructure and facilities can leave lasting legacies, they also raise concerns about sustainability and long-term utility. Cities often face the challenge of balancing the economic prosperity brought by increased tourism and marketing opportunities with the risk of underutilized venues and environmental impact after the Games conclude.
Since the Tokyo Olympics, sustainability has emerged as a cornerstone of the Olympic agenda, with the Paris Games earning recognition as the most sustainable Olympic Games in history. What lessons can be drawn from Paris for future host cities? More broadly, how can the Olympics serve as a blueprint for a new generation of global events that emphasize sustainability, innovation, and lasting impact?
This article reviews the sustainability initiatives of the Paris Olympics, highlighting key strategies and identifying actionable insights for the future of large-scale sporting events.
Significant Progress in Sustainability
The 2000 Sydney Olympics set early environmental standards by emphasising energy efficiency and comprehensive recycling programs. Subsequently, the 2012 London Olympics excelled in water conservation, sourcing 40% of its water supply from recycled rainwater sources. These incremental advancements underscore a growing commitment to environmental stewardship within the Olympic movement.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games have demonstrated remarkable advancements in sustainability, building upon the foundations laid by previous host cities and setting new benchmarks for future international events. These improvements span across different areas, with some of the most significant improvements being around:
Carbon Emissions
Energy
Infrastructure
Waste Management
Additionally;
Social Housing. Conversion of the Olympic Village into social housing for 3,500 apartments (housing up to 12,000 people post-Games).
Circularity. Eco-friendly construction with recycled materials. Minimal new construction, with only one new venue built (Olympic Aquatic Centre).
Mobility. 418 km of cycleways connecting venues, including significant permanent additions to the cycling infrastructure.
The mobility initiatives implemented for Paris 2024 are designed with a long-term vision, aiming to leave enduring positive legacies for the city and its residents. The improvements in public transportation and cycling infrastructure are integrated into comprehensive socio-economic development plans, ensuring that the benefits extend well beyond the duration of the Games.
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Enhancements in sustainable transport infrastructure contribute to improved urban livability, reduced traffic congestion, and better air quality. They also serve as catalysts for behavioural shifts towards more sustainable modes of transportation among the population. Implementing bike networks can lead to significant reductions in carbon emissions; for instance, constructing new bicycle lanes in urban areas can decrease emissions by approximately 0.2 million tonnes per year (Prasara-A & Bridhikitti, 2022). In the context of Paris, this expansion is projected to reduce emissions by up to 0.55 million tonnes annually. Moreover, a modal shift where 5% of vehicle kilometres are replaced by cycling can result in saving about 22 million litres of fuel annually and reducing transport-related greenhouse emissions by 0.4%. Health benefits associated with increased physical activity include the avoidance of approximately 116 deaths per year, translating to economic savings of around $200 million annually when considering mortality reductions alone (New Zealand Ministry of Transport, 2020).
Case studies from other cities further reinforce these benefits. The Bicing program in Barcelona, a public bicycle-sharing initiative, demonstrated a net avoidance of 12.28 deaths annually due to increased physical activity, alongside a reduction of over 9 million kilograms of CO₂ emissions per year (Rojas-Rueda et al., 2011). These examples underscore the profound and multifaceted impacts of investing in robust cycling infrastructure.
Contested Sustainability Initiatives
While the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics has made strides in advancing sustainability, certain aspects of its carbon strategy raise questions about the long-term effectiveness and potential drawbacks of these initiatives. The organizers' focus on achieving carbon neutrality through offsetting and other efforts, while commendable in some respects, has sparked debate regarding its true impact.
The Saint-Denis Olympic Aquatic Centre
© VenhoevenCS + Ateliers 234 © Salem Mostefaoui
Carbon Strategy Towards Neutrality
A significant portion of the Paris 2024 carbon strategy centres on offsetting the unavoidable emissions generated by the event. With approximately 53% of emissions projected to stem from the travel and accommodation of athletes, officials, and millions of spectators, the organisers have acknowledged the difficulty in mitigating these emissions, particularly those associated with air travel. The organisers have secured 1.59 million tonnes CO₂e of carbon credits, primarily through sequestration or avoidance projects.
Paris 2024's sustainability strategy prominently highlights its efforts to enhance public transportation within the city and reduce carbon emissions through sustainable mobility initiatives. However, a closer examination reveals that the issue of air travel, which represents a significant portion of the Games' carbon footprint, is notably absent from the main sustainability strategy narrative. Instead, the focus is shifted towards localized initiatives like public transport improvements and cycling infrastructure, potentially diverting attention from the more challenging and impactful issue of international travel emissions.
This strategic omission raises questions about accountability. While the emphasis on urban mobility aligns with broader sustainability goals, the lack of transparency regarding the carbon impact of air travel leaves a critical gap in the overall strategy.
Novel Innovations in Sustainability
The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics introduced several novel sustainability initiatives; among these, the approach to carbon accounting stands out as a promising effort in managing large-scale event's environmental impact. This strategy challenges traditional carbon accounting methods and sets a new standard for future large-scale events.
Photo by Lionel Bonaventure - Pool/Getty Images - 2162960474
New Carbon Accounting Strategy
Traditionally, carbon emissions are calculated after the conclusion of an event, leading to a reliance on offsets as a primary tool for achieving carbon neutrality. In contrast, Paris 2024 has adopted a framework that integrates carbon costs into the planning phase. This strategy, combined with the ARO framework—Avoid, Reduce, Offset—aims to prioritise the minimisation of emissions from the outset, rather than compensating for them retrospectively. This method signifies a shift in focus from balancing the carbon ledger to actively reducing the event’s overall carbon footprint.
Conclusion
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games have set a powerful precedent for sustainability in large-scale sporting events. By combining innovative carbon accounting strategies, significant investments in circular infrastructure, and permanent mobility enhancements, the Paris Games serve as a model for future hosts. However, critical challenges remain, particularly in addressing the carbon impact of international travel. Future Games must build on Paris 2024’s successes while developing more comprehensive and creative solutions for the most difficult sustainability barriers.
© IOC/Kohjiro Kinno
Looking ahead, there are still a world of opportunities to further align the Olympics with sustainability goals. A few of these could further improve future games:
Addressing Air Travel: Educate audiences on the environmental impact of air travel. Introduce easily accessible carbon offset programs and explore ways to engage global citizens through virtual events, reducing the need for long-distance travel.
Enhanced Data Transparency: Publish real-time emissions data for public scrutiny, enhancing accountability and trust.
Promoting Virtual and Regional Events: Build more engaging virtual event platforms, allowing fans worldwide to participate without traveling. Collaborate with cities to host “mini-Olympic” hubs for localized viewing experiences.
Circular Economy Leadership: Strive for zero waste by using 100% second-life materials and expanding creative reuse practices. Showcase innovation, such as transforming venues into sustainable community hubs post-Games.
These initiatives could turn the potential for future Games to not only mitigate environmental impact but also act as an accelerator for global education and innovation in sustainability practices. The lessons from Paris offer a promising blueprint for a new generation of sporting events that prioritize environmental stewardship and long-term societal benefits. Studies and analyses of sustainability targets versus actual deliverables, such as those by leading environmental organisations, will further refine these efforts and ensure accountability for future hosts.
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