Spectators view the Eiffel Tower and Olympic rings along the Seine river in Paris, France. The city is gearing up to host the XXXIII Olympic Summer Games and made cleaning the Seine a priority. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX – Sustainability is at the forefront of the 2024 Paris Olympics, with organizers hoping to mitigate the negative environmental impact the Games will have and to limit the amount of wasted space after the closing ceremony.
Many potential host cities have become reluctant to take on the Olympics because of the sheer amount of investment required, and because of the possibility of new facilities going idle.
The International Olympic Committee and organizers limited new construction to just 5% of the facilities in use in 2024, while the rest of the Olympic venues have already been in existence or will be temporary.
Michael Kraus, director of sustainable events and analytics at Green Sports Alliance, stresses the importance of limiting carbon emissions from energy-intensive sporting venues.
“Venues consume a massive amount of power, between lighting, heating, cooling, and if that’s on a decarbonized grid, that’s amazing,” Kraus said.
Alarming pictures of abandoned Olympic facilities have circulated the internet, from a beach volleyball stadium used in the 2004 Athens Games to a whitewater kayaking stadium built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Paris was determined not to make a similar mistake.
Keeping new construction to a limit is one of many goals set out by the organizers, including cleaning up the Seine river, offsetting carbon output through reforestation, eliminating air conditioning in the Olympic village, using 40% less vehicles and climate friendly vehicles to transport Olympic officials, using 100% renewable energy, encouraging wide use of the expansive transportation system, reducing meat availability, reducing waste from food and even turning parking spaces into “green areas.”
These initiatives could serve as a blueprint for cities across the globe that are struggling to balance priorities on growth and climate change.
Yet as organizers have made it clear that sustainability is top-of-mind for this year, they are falling short on some initiatives.
One major example is the ambitious Seine river project, which is supposed to make the Seine swimmable for the first time in over 100 years, yet organizers had trouble getting the fecal matter out of the river until recently. Triathlon athletes are supposed to be using the river for the swimming portion of the event, but may have to relocate or even bypass it altogether if the Seine proves to be unsafe.
Another major concern is the nonexistence of air conditioning in the Olympic Village, as organizers opted for water pump technology designed to keep rooms between 73 and 79 degrees fahrenheit, which is still warmer than some athletes prefer. Many countries are bringing their own air conditioning units to ensure that their athletes are staying cool and ready for competition, but the running of external, decentralized A/C units will raise carbon emissions.
“We can control as much as we can as event organizers,” said Brian McCullough, associate professor of sport management at the University of Michigan. “But once you start bringing other people into the mix, that’s when it can go sideways, and we won’t be as successful as in a perfect world.”
Europe as a leader
France’s current electricity output is 98% low-carbon.
Mark Wilson, professor of urban and regional planning at Michigan State University, views Europe as a clear leader in sustainability due to the widespread recognition of climate change and the related policy action.
“If you’re looking at the European context, there’s already a lot of emphasis on sustainability,” Wilson said.
The European Union has set out major goals for 2030 and 2050 to address climate change, mainly cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 and aiming to be the first climate neutral continent by 2050.
France recently enacted a travel ban on short domestic flights and are encouraging citizens to use the public transportation network including trains and high-speed rail to get around the country.
Yet France’s efforts are a reflection of their investments and environmental values, as it benefits from having an infrastructure that can better support sustainability goals.
Experts also point out that European cities were created largely before the automobile era, distinguished by more dense populations and tight urbanization.
Matthew Huber, professor of geography and the environment at Syracuse University, also highlights the infrastructural advantage France has to promote sustainability.
“France is known for having one of the most decarbonized electric grids in the world because they have about 70% of their electricity coming from nuclear power, which is zero carbon energy,” Huber said.
This is part of a cultural and political agenda that is important in France, as opposed to the United States, which has been experiencing debate on the merits of climate change itself, including on the state level in Arizona.
Suki Hoagland, lecturer in the Earth Systems program at Stanford University, helped birth the Sustainability in Sports class and believes that sports play an important role in the fight against climate change. Hoagland echoes frustration regarding the climate debates in the U.S., but is hopeful about the power of sport to spur change.
“It’s just mind boggling that national, local and political leaders can pretend that we’re not facing this existential crisis. It’s unconscionable and it’s unforgivable,” Hoagland said.
Climate debates can make the passing and implementation of widespread sustainability initiatives difficult, which is deemed an “existential threat” to cities like Phoenix because of extreme heat and water stress. Sustainability requires a huge amount of investment for new infrastructure and new energy systems.
“You have all these entrenched fossil fuel aligned interests that are also lobbying at the state level and are very powerful that want to prevent these changes from happening,” Huber said.
Arizona’s effort
Like in many states, the Arizona state government has put a focus on conserving water supply, changing means of energy production, shifting construction and infrastructure and keeping a clean environment – all of which require substantial investment and time, as well as buy-in from locals.
Experts point to the positive impact the Inflation Reduction Act has had on Arizona, which helps fund sustainability projects across the United States. These projects in Arizona include tree and canopy pledges, clean power grid expansion, water conservation and electric vehicle infrastructure among other initiatives.
Despite the progress that can be seen in the U.S. related to sustainability, immediate lifestyle changes that can be adopted by local citizens can still be deemed too costly, including common daily practices like recycling.
William Donato, programs director at the Arizona Sustainability Alliance, is happy about the more than $8 billion in energy investments Arizona has received, and the overarching impact of the Inflation Reduction Act, but he expresses some skepticism about Arizona’s current status.
“Arizona is one of the worst for recycling,” Donato said. “We’ve got a long way to go.”
Only 30 out of 450 cities provide recycling services in Arizona, partially because maintaining recycling services proved to be too expensive for some cities in the state.
Among athletic competitions in the Valley, the WM Phoenix Open is often among the leaders in supporting the necessity for sustainability in sports. (Photo courtesy of WM Phoenix Open)
Something that Arizonans may have at their disposal is the implementation of solar panels, as Arizona is the sunniest state in the U.S., which allows it to be one of the national leaders in solar output, yet the front end investment still has some equity issues associated with it.
The average cost of a 6-kw solar panel system in Arizona is $14,640.
“I think it’s going to be very hard if the buy-in typically means that people are going to have to buy more costly things,” Huber said. “We really just need to make cleaner and greener options cheaper for the masses of people, where they can actually really afford to make these changes.”
Electric vehicles are another popular option for the promotion of sustainability, yet a study published by Deloitte in 2023 highlights how many Americans see price as a hurdle to adopting an EV.
As much as any city across the globe wants to promote more sustainable habits, accessibility and affordability can prove to be a major issue in the U.S.
Talks of legacy
The IOC puts great emphasis on the word “legacy,” which is the backbone of the sustainability goals for this year’s Olympics, and city planning might be the most important callback in the future.
“A mega event for a planner is only as good as what it leaves behind,” Wilson said.
As local citizens of a host country typically have to endure five to 10 years of preparations through construction and pointed socialization, they are usually quite vocal on the impact the Olympic games might have on their city. Because the Olympic games are a heavy investment, citizens are likely to be critical as the money paid to host and run the event could be allocated to other needs.
“The accountability goes as far as assuring the public that the price is worth paying for the disruption,” Wilson said.
For France, the goal is to run a “Games Wide Open” that is “more responsible, more inclusive, more equal and more spectacular”.
The responsibility has all to do with sustainability, which is a clear topic of discussion for every type of organization, from international organizations like the United Nations, to collegiate associations, global sports federations and corporations at large – partially stemming from external pressure to take action.
The attempt to make the 2024 Paris Olympics “green” matches the moment.
The 2024 Paris Olympics is the first to be guided by the Olympic 2020+5 plan in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement, which includes 2030 as the year to hit a plethora of sustainability goals, with the main objective of reducing global emissions by at least 45%.
“We have to take on the responsibility to say every Olympic Games, every event, has to do more because of the urgency – because of the need the planet has for healing and for making sure my kids, their kids and the next generation have a planet that is life-giving and can support their vitality,” Kraus said.
Kraus and Hoagland highlight the power sports have to move, motivate and inspire people, which could be an engine for faster social acceptance and social action on sustainability needs due to the large number of people who watch and follow athletics.
“Hundreds of millions of people love the Olympics, and if you could infuse the Olympic spirit, the Olympic stories with a sustainability message, you have the opportunity to reach an enormous audience,” Hoagland said.
Sustainability is front of mind for the 2024 Paris Olympics organizing committee, which hopes to inspire future hosts as they prepare their infrastructure. (Photo courtesy of IOC)
The United Nation Sports for Climate Action Framework was passed in 2020 to gather prominent sports organizations, including the IOC, from across the globe in order to collectively follow a set of sustainability principles that focus on communicating the importance of climate action, promoting responsible consumption, educating spectators to spur change, reducing climate impact and inducing systematic plans to show environmental responsibility.
Brian McCullough, associate professor of sport management at the University of Michigan, contributed to the formation of the climate framework and sees it as a great catalyst for deeper action by the signatories.
“The framework itself was originally set up to make sure that your house was in order before you start telling the fans the importance of engaging in climate action and pro-environmental behaviors.” McCullough said.
In the case of the IOC running an event that is inherently energy-intensive, the organizers are playing a game of mitigation rather than elimination. Based on the five principles outlined in the UNSCAF, the IOC’s decisions regarding the organization of the games seem to line up.
One major example is the ambitious Seine river project, which is supposed to make the Seine swimmable for the first time in over 100 years, yet the organizers had trouble getting the fecal matter out of the river until recently. Triathlon athletes are supposed to be using the river for the swimming portion of the event, but may have to relocate or even bypass it altogether if the Seine proves to be unsafe.
Another major concern is the nonexistence of air conditioning in the Olympic Village, as the organizers opted for water pump technology which is supposed to keep rooms between 73 and 79 degrees fahrenheit, which is still warmer than some athletes may prefer. 6-10 degrees (celsius) cooler than outside temperatures. Many countries are bringing their own air conditioning units to ensure that their athletes are staying cool and ready for competition, but the running of external, decentralized A/C units will raise carbon emissions.
“We can control as much as we can as event organizers,” McCullough said. “But once you start bringing other people into the mix, that’s when it can go sideways, and we won’t be as successful as in a perfect world.”
Some of the initiatives set out by the Olympic organizers, like mass usage of public transportation, consuming less meat, using less plastic and adhering to waste guidance require some collaboration from residents and visitors alike, which signifies that a portion of the wanted success in sustainability will rest on the behavior of the spectators.
“Educating them on different initiatives that might be happening at the games are going to be really important,” McCullough said. “People know sustainability, socially and collectively, is an important thing to do, but how to engage and why to engage is the big thing that needs to click in people’s minds.”
Some of the initiatives set out by the Olympic organizers, like mass usage of public transportation, consuming less meat, using less plastic and adhering to waste guidance require some collaboration from residents and visitors alike, which signifies that a portion of the wanted success in sustainability will rest on the behavior of the spectators.
“Educating them on different initiatives that might be happening at the games are going to be really important,” McCullough said. “People know sustainability, socially and collectively, is an important thing to do, but how to engage and why to engage is the big thing that needs to click in people’s minds.”
We are sure to be made aware of the highs and lows of the Olympic games in the sustainability department, but something that cannot be argued is the ambition we have seen from the organizers to make this year the greenest games yet.