– By Emenyeonu, C. Ogadimma, College of Communication, University of Sharjah –
The 2024 Paris Olympics are set to establish a new benchmark for environmental sustainability in major international sporting events. By drawing lessons from previous games, Paris 2024 aims to significantly reduce its carbon footprint through innovative strategies that include carbon emissions reduction, the use of renewable energy, and sustainable catering and waste management. These initiatives are expected to serve as a model for future hosts of major sporting events, especially the Olympics.
Carbon Emissions Reduction
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games, organized by the Paris Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (COJO), aim to cut their carbon impact by 50% compared to previous Summer Games, targeting 1.75 million tonnes of CO2 emissions. According to COJO, this is a significant decrease from the average 3.5 million tonnes emitted by past events such as Tokyo 2020, Rio 2016, and London 2012, where no proactive steps were taken to reduce emissions. Notably, despite having no spectators due to COVID-19, the Tokyo 2020 Olympics still produced about 2.1 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Use of Renewable Energy
The Paris Organizing Committee has emphasized that clean electricity and biogas will be the sole energy sources for powering the games. The local organizing committee believes that this marks a major deviation from the Tokyo 2020, Rio 2016, and London 2012 events, which relied more on conventional energy sources. Major French energy utility EDF (Électricité de France), largely owned by the French state, has said it will provide sustainable energy produced by solar and wind turbines, avoiding the traditional use of diesel generators. This strategy is expected to reduce carbon emissions by approximately 13,000 tonnes.
Sustainable Catering and Waste Management
In a groundbreaking approach to hosting the Olympics, the local organizing committee has indicated that almost 95% of the venues for the Paris 2024 Games are either temporary or existing structures. The only new venue, the Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis, according to the Committee, is designed with sustainability in mind, utilizing solar electricity and recyclable materials. While previous Olympics like London 2012, Rio 2016, and Tokyo 2020 attempted to enhance sustainability in catering and waste management, the Paris Olympics have set more aggressive and comprehensive targets. The local organizing committee has indicated that it aims to serve 13 million meals with a focus on sustainability, targeting an average of 1 kg of CO2 per meal compared to the 2.3 kg French average. This includes doubling the amount of plant-based food and reducing single-use plastics by 50%.
Challenges
Despite that the Paris 2024 Olympics Committee aspires to set a new standard for environmental sustainability, significant challenges persist in achieving their ambitious goals. Despite various measures to reduce the carbon footprint, such as adopting the Avoid, Reduce, Offset (ARO) approach and integrating carbon costs upfront, substantial obstacles remain. A BBC report indicated that 80% of the sporting event’s emissions will typically arise from spectator travel. The Paris Olympics, according to the World Economic Forum, will be the first Olympics to sell tickets centrally to fans worldwide simultaneously, and this is expected to potentially increase air travel and its associated emissions.
While environmental organizations have praised Paris 2024 for its efforts to hold a greener Games , they remain skeptical about the feasibility of halving emissions. A report by Carbon Market Watch and éclaircies (an organization that focuses on promoting transparency and accountability in carbon markets) revealed that the sustainability plan addresses only around 30% of predicted emissions. Despite robust strategies for construction and food sustainability, the Environmental Impact Report believes that international travel’s impact needs more attention. Suggestions for discounted train tickets or including chartered train travel in ticket prices have been proposed to mitigate this issue. Also, a prominent official partner to the Paris Olympics, Air France, pledged, in a press release, to match contributions to its Sustainable Aviation Fuel scheme for customers flying to France during the Games. This is aimed at improving its environmental status and encouraging the use of more sustainable fuel options in aviation.
The Olympic Committee’s transparency regarding carbon assessments remains a contentious issue, according to the Environmental Transparency Coalition. While the new carbon footprint analysis aims to be more proactive, the Green Policy Research Institute is worried that the lack of detailed disclosure undermines trust. Climate analysts argue that carbon offsets, a key part of the organizers’ strategy, are over-relied upon and call for more substantial emission reductions. Climate scientists and sustainability experts argue that achieving a truly green Olympics might require a fundamental overhaul, including downsizing and rotating host cities, to align with the Paris Climate Agreement’s goal (2015) of keeping global warming below 1.5°C.
The Paris 2024 Olympics green ambitions further face criticism for their association with sponsors that have controversial environmental records. Greenpeace notes that EDF (Électricité de France) has been scrutinized for its reliance on nuclear energy and handling of nuclear waste. Coca-Cola, a company associated with significant plastic pollution, has been named by Break Free From Plastic as the world’s worst plastic polluter multiple times in the Break Free From Plastic annual brand audit. Air France’s (another major sponsor) efforts to offset carbon emissions are considered insufficient to counterbalance the environmental damage caused by air travel, according to climate advocacy groups. Environmental analysts have criticized Atos, another sponsor, for its energy consumption and slow transition to renewable energy sources.
Media Role:
The success of a Green Paris and future Olympics depends more or less on the involvement of the media, which plays the onerous role of amplifying sustainable practices and holding stakeholders accountable. Through widespread coverage, the media can educate the public about the importance of environmental sustainability and inspire greener habits. Investigative journalism can serve as a watchdog, scrutinizing environmental claims and exposing greenwashing attempts, thereby driving continuous improvement and setting a genuine example for future global sporting events.
Implications for Future Olympics:
The strategies employed by Paris 2024 are expected to become the standard for future Olympics (and other major sporting events) prompted by the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Olympic Agenda 2020+5, which insists that sustainability and carbon reduction are core requirements for host cities. By setting high standards in energy conservation and carbon management, Paris 2024 demonstrates that it is possible to host a major global event while significantly reducing environmental impact. In this regard, the Chair of the IOC Sustainability and Legacy Commission, Prince Albert II of Monaco, emphasized, “Paris 2024 is stepping up to this challenge more than any Games before. This focus on carbon reduction will become a contractual requirement for all Olympic hosts from 2030”. This move signals a broader shift towards environmental sustainability in global sporting events, encouraging innovation and responsible practices that other cities and organizers will most probably adopt.
The Paris 2024 Olympics are not just a sporting event but a crucial step in redefining how large-scale events can align with global sustainability goals. As future hosts look to these standards, the legacy of Paris 2024 will extend far beyond the games themselves, influencing environmental policies and practices worldwide. This being said, future hosts of major sporting events are expected to improve on the Paris 2024 Green Olympics initiatives.
Sources of Information/further reading:
Paris 2024 Olympics: A Greenwashing Nightmare or a Genuine Effort to Save the Planet? – Earth Day
Going green: Can the Paris 2024 Olympics slash carbon emissions? | Context
Olympic Sponsors List: These Are the Sponsors of Paris 2024 (ispo.com)
“Paris 2024 Sustainability Plan: A New Era of Eco-Friendly Games” Paris 2024 Official Website https://www.paris2024.org/en/
Environmental Strategy for Paris 2024: Reducing the Carbon Footprint” COJO Publications COJO Publications: https://www.paris2024.org/en/publications/
“EDF to Power Paris 2024 Olympics with 100% Renewable Energy” Website: EDF Newsroom https://www.edf.fr/en/newsroom
“IOC Sustainability Report: Environmental Impact of Olympic Games” Website: IOC Sustainability https://olympics.com/ioc/sustainability
“Paris 2024: Ambitious Sustainability Goals Face Major Challenges” Website: BBC News – Paris 2024 Olympics
“Can Paris 2024 Meet Its Carbon Reduction Targets?” Website: World Economic Forum – Paris 2024 Sustainability
“Carbon Market Watch Report on Paris 2024’s Sustainability Efforts” · Website: Carbon Market Watch
“Environmental Impact of International Travel on the Paris 2024 Olympics” Website: Environmental Impact Reports
“Air France’s Commitment to Sustainable Aviation Fuel During the Olympics” Website: Air France Press Releases
“Transparency in Carbon Assessments: A Challenge for the Olympic Committee” Website: Environmental Transparency Coalition
“Achieving Green Olympics: The Call for Fundamental Overhaul” Website: Green Policy Research Institute
“Critique of Paris 2024’s Sponsorship: EDF and Coca-Cola Under Scrutiny” · Website: Greenpeace Website: Break Free From Plastic “The Environmental Impact of Olympic Sponsors: A Closer Look” Website: Climate Advocacy Groups
