The National Olympic Committee (NOC) for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was enormous: to celebrate the most sustainable edition in the history of modern games. For this, from the candidature phase, Paris 2024 committed to important environmental responsibilities.
The organization has carried out different measures that promise to reduce C02 emissions by half (compared to other editions) as well as compensate for those that are not a direct consequence of the event, such as the emissions produced by the planes and trains used to transport the public.
These promises, although significant in the fight against climate change, answer the necessity to find new ways to organize massive events.
The environmental challenges faced by the committee involve holding 800 sporting events, accommodation and transportation for 15,000 athletes, equipment and training for 45,000 volunteers, preparation of 13 million meals, and the broadcasting of the most important sporting event in the world.
- CONSTRUCTIONS: SUSTAINABLE VENUES AND ACCOMMODATIONS.
Taking sustainability into account, 95% of the venues are temporary constructions or already existing buildings. Just the Siena-Saint Denis Aquatic Center was specifically constructed for the Olympic event, and designed to meet the goals of sustainability.
The example of the aquatic center is impressive. The design of its architecture incorporates a concave roof that reduces the volume of air that needs to be heated. Also, the water will maintain about 28°C thanks to a system that recycles heat from a nearby data center, besides, it has energy panels located on the roof, which will provide 20% of the venue´s energy needs.
However, this modern and promising construction has not met the requirements of the athletes, since the pool’s depth of 2.20 meters compared to the 2.50 that the International Federation has imposed as a minimum since 2023, hinders the performance of the swimmers, subtracting milliseconds that can be the difference between winning or losing.
About the Olympic Village, the athletes have complained about the cardboard beds, one of the committee’s most famous recycling measures. The temperatures of the French summer have also been a problem, the heat cannot be cooled down with the small air conditioners that have been installed in the bedrooms.
This venue was undoubtedly one of the committee’s greatest promises. The Olympic Village project was designed 100% thinking about sustainability. Located on the site of an old garbage dump, from concrete to wood, recycled materials were used in its construction in structural and façade elements.
Thanks to these measures, carbon emissions were reduced by up to 30% during the construction stage, an achievement to be celebrated on the path to organized eco-friendly events.
FOOD: HALFWAY BETWEEN NUTRITION AND SUSTAINABILITY.
With the titanic challenge of organizing logistics for 13 million meals, the Olympic Committee once again faced a difficult challenge.
Paris 2024 committed to serving a mostly vegetarian menu, made with organic and local products whose transportation and production reduced carbon emissions. As well, they are committed to reducing single-use plastic, limiting food waste, and composting all organic waste.
However, complaints from different delegations about the lack of protein, the amount of food, and nutritional options suitable for high physical performance have overshadowed the innovative nutritional proposal of this edition.
RENEWABLE ENERGY: THE BIGGEST BET
To supply Paris 2024 with electricity, the committee has opted for renewable energy. The energy that lights up the games will be 100% renewable, generated entirely in France from six wind farms and two solar plants.
In addition, the use of LED lights in all Olympic venues promises to reduce the energy use of the games by up to 80%.
CAN MASS EVENTS BE SUSTAINABLE?
The eco-friendly approach of these games is an important step, not only in the organization of this particular one but in the future of all massive events.
It should not be a surprise that there were mistakes in this first attempt to organize an event with an environmentalist and sustainable approach, but when these measures directly affect the performance of the athletes, the main reason for the celebration, there is nothing left but to take urgent actions.
Paris 2024’s promises to reduce, recycle, reuse, and offset all its emissions and waste have marked a milestone in the history of the Olympic organization. In a moment of climate urgency, the only way to act is from an environmental logic. There is no wrong or insufficient attempt.
We hope that the challenge of environmental sustainability will be a record to break in the next Olympic Games and that the new host countries will learn from the methodologies, successes, and mistakes of Paris 2024.
