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Sustainability at the 2024 Paris Olympics

The 2024 Paris Olympics, featuring sports like gymnastics, boxing, canoe slalom, cycling, swimming, and tennis, began on July 26 and concluded on August 11. Inside the Games predicted a total of 15 million visitors to the city, two million of which were projected to come from other countries. There were nearly 11,000 athletes competing in 45 sports at this edition of the Games; an event of this scale raises many questions about the environmental, social, and economic impacts but Paris did significant work to ensure sustainability is incorporated into all aspects of the game. In fact, the organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games set a goal to cut the carbon emissions from the Games in half compared to previous years! This blog post will explore some of the specific steps that the city took to achieve their goal of making this the most sustainable Games yet!


Legacy and Sustainability Plan

“The Legacy and Sustainability Plan for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games” goes into detail on each of the steps that were taken to promote sustainability in the Games. To read the plan, visit the Legacy and Sustainability Plan webpage.


In the plan, there are six main “pillars” of ambition identified: eco-responsible Games that harness sustainable solutions; Games that boost regional growth and appeal; Games that open up opportunities for everyone; sport to improve health, education, and civic engagement; sport to improve inclusion and solidarity; and sport to drive the environmental transformation.


Image courtesy of Paris 2024


Within each of these pillars are several objectives and sub-objectives, each with their own set of initiatives launched or accelerated as a result of the games. The image below shows the “flow” of the plan’s action items. On the far left, in the dark blue section, is the pillar: “Eco-responsible Games that harness sustainable solutions”. Next, in the bright blue, is the objective: “Set up a circular economy.” To achieve this, we can look to the four sub-objectives in the first white column: “Anticipate and reduce the use of materials related to the Games by making use of existing resources; efficiently manage material use and waste during the Games; Strengthen regional channels”; and “Apply an eco-design approach to everything that must be produced and ensure products and equipment are given a second life.” To get even more specific, we can look to the second white column, on the far right: these are the specific initiatives that are being launched or accelerated to ensure that the objectives and sub-objectives are met during the Games.


Image courtesy of Paris 2024


The entire plan, including the objectives, sub-objectives, and initiatives for each of the six pillars can be found within the Legacy and Sustainability Plan. Once you have an understanding of the broader goals of the Games, it’s time to get specific! Paris 2024 aimed to offer “a model for different Games, more sustainable and just as spectacular, and is mobilising all the possible dynamics to support this approach.” In other words, Paris 2024 wanted this edition of the Games to set the precedent for future ones— to raise the bar. But how did they do this?


The Paris 2024 website outlines several commitments that guided the planning and implementation of the Games. These commitments include…

  • Promoting the role of sports (how can the Games be used to increase physical activity in all age groups, teach children about disabilities, and advance social equity?)

  • Creating jobs and economic opportunities (how can the Games focus on creating employment opportunities during and after the games in sectors heavily affected by the pandemic, and keep contracts local to support smaller businesses?)

  • Assessing our impact (how can assessing the impact of the Games and its Impact & Legacy Strategy be applied to other social projects?)

  • The Environment (how can Paris 2024 minimize the impact of the Games on the environment?)

  • Taking Part (how can Paris 2024 support the 63 other towns sharing resources, funds, and space to accommodate all of the athletes, officials, press, and spectators traveling for the Games?)


Each of these commitments can be broken down into further detail— to learn more, visit the Paris 2024 website and use the main menu to explore the Games’ commitments. After understanding the ways that Paris 2024 has set up the plan guiding their work to advance sustainability, we can pivot our focus and begin exploring specific actions that exemplify these commitments.


Olympic Torch

The company with the honor of designing the Paris 2024 Olympic torch, ArcelorMittal, is an official partner of the 2024 Games as well as the world’s leading steel company. To minimize the carbon footprint of the torch, ArcelorMittal intentionally selected a few of its production sites for their ability to produce sustainable steel and still meet the design requirements of the torch. The company’s goal was to produce torches with half of the carbon footprint of those used for the London 2012 Olympic Games. In 2021, ArcelorMittal launched their XCarb® recycled and renewably produced steel, which is made with “high levels of recycled scrap as its metallic input and 100% renewable electricity as a power source.” For the Paris 2024 torches, ArcelorMittal raised their standards and used 100% recycled scrap as the metal input for the manufacturing of the torches. To learn more about the sustainability of the Paris 2024 torches, visit the “The steel behind the torch” webpage on the ArcelorMittal website.


Image courtesy of Olympics official website


Sustainability in Venues and Accommodations

To accommodate the influx of people into the city and region, the Paris 2024 Games utilized the construction of several temporary venues in Central Paris. The installation of these venues accounted for changes to traffic patterns and the importance of preserving cultural heritage and natural biodiversity. Physical barriers will be placed around vulnerable trees in the city and ecologists assisted organizers in identifying the best way to position facilities and clearly marking protected areas, all in order to protect the plants and animals in the area and minimize the environmental impact.


Paris 2024 has timetables in place for the construction and tear-down of these temporary venues, with over 60% of the space being occupied by the Games vacated by September 30, and dismantling complete by October 31. The timetable for dismantling the structures includes a gradual return to normal traffic patterns. To see the timetable for a few notable venues (including Trocadéro-Eiffel-Champ-de-Mars area and the Opening Ceremony platforms!), visit the Installation and Dismantling webpage. Paris 2024 is also placing significant emphasis on utilizing existing venues, rather than building from the ground up. In fact, only one new venue is being constructed: the Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis. The facility is powered by solar energy and built with bio-based materials. After the Games are finished, the facility will be used for swimming lessons, recreational use, competitions, and other fitness/recreation opportunities besides swimming to provide continued access to physical activity for members of the community.


Image courtesy of Olympics official website


Also after the completion of the Games, the Olympic Village will be turned into a new residential and business district in an effort to provide homes and jobs for a total of 12,000 people. According to the Olympics website, 25% of the residencies will be established as public housing, which will benefit the 40% of people in the area (Saint-Denis) who rely on public housing to meet their needs. The redevelopment will also include restaurants and shops to revitalize the area and create jobs in a part of the city with an unemployment rate of more than 20%. Urban tree canopies will be a key feature of the Village after its renovation, which has numerous environmental, economic, and social benefits. The table below, with information modified from an article written by Citygreen, highlights some of the benefits! To read more, read the whole article on the Citygreen website.

Benefits of Urban Tree Canopy

Increased Tree Canopy

Temperature Regulation

Provides shade, reduces urban heat island effect

Air Quality Improvement

Absorbs pollutants, enhances air quality

Stormwater Management

Reduces stormwater runoff, helps prevent flooding

Biodiversity Support

Provides habitats for wildlife, fosters biodiversity

Aesthetic Enhancement

Beautifies streetscapes and landscapes

Health and Wellbeing

Supports mental health, encourages outdoor activities

Economic Value

Increases property values, attracts businesses, increases foot traffic

Energy Conservation

Reduces energy consumption for cooling

Photo courtesy of Olympics official website


This Games’ Olympic Village also utilized the recycled cardboard beds previously seen in the Tokyo 2020 Games. The manufacturer says the beds can support a weight of up to 200 kg (approximately 440 pounds), and the athletes’ mattresses are made of polyethylene (plastic) materials that can be reused for other plastic products after the Game are over. To learn more about the beds, read this article by the architecture and design magazine Dezeen. Although this article is about the beds used in the Tokyo 2020 Games, the ones being used in Paris are made by the same manufacturer!


Image courtesy of CNN


To get to the sporting events, athletes did not have to travel far: more than 80% of the events took place within 10 km (6 miles) of the Olympic Village. This reduction in travel time made it more feasible to utilize public transportation, which spectators and athletes were able to use in order to access every venue will be able to use to get to every venue. Service of multiple modes of transportation (bus, metro, and train) were also increased to meet the increased demand for these services.


Sustainability in Food

To feed as many people as were in Paris during the Games, organizers had to plan very carefully— according to AP News, approximately 40,000 meals were served each day of the Games! Where did that much food come from? What steps were taken to reduce waste in order to achieve the Games’ sustainability goals? Well, there are quite a few, in fact! To start with, 80% of ingredients used were to be sourced from local operations. There was also additional emphasis placed on reducing food waste in the first place by carefully estimating the amount needed, reallocating, composting, or transforming all uneaten food. This was helpful in not only minimizing the amount of food waste generated to start with, but also establishing alternatives to sending the food to the landfill.


Photo courtesy of AP News


This story from AP News highlights the work of a 100-person volunteer team, who took on the challenge of collecting uneaten food from various sites and/or venues to distribute to the nearly 10 million people around France who lack sufficient access to food. This is one of many groups working together to tackle the problem and advance their shared mission; another food bank also visited the athlete’s village to collect food (in addition to other sites) and gathered more then 30 tons of food. Some of the food collected is donated directly to specific organizations that can connect it to people in need, while another portion is sent to a grocery store in a suburb of Paris that sells food at a very deeply discounted price. This operation hits all three facets of sustainability: it keeps food out of the landfill (environmental), it makes food available for people who might otherwise struggle to access it (social), and it is provided at no or very low cost (economic).


The Games also made efforts to reduce the plastic waste coming from catering by 50%, and committed to keeping all of the catering equipment/infrastructure to reuse after the Games conclude. Spectators were allowed to bring their own reusable water bottles into the venues, which was an unusual diversion from normal rules in France. To enable spectators to refill these bottles, Coca-Cola, a Worldwide Olympic Partner, installed 700 water and soda fountains around the venues. Reusable cups were used during meals, and plastic bottles that could not be used will be recycled. Read more about efforts to reduce food waste (in addition to other sustainability measures) on the Olympics website, and in this article by Explore France.


Sustainability in Transportation

When you need to transport approximately 15 million people and 11,000 athletes, in addition to Paris residents, it makes sense that there would be an extra need for transportation! To account for this, public transportation services (including the bus, metro, and train systems) in the region were increased by 15% to accommodate the increased demand. All of the venues were accessible via public transportation; making sure that the venues are easily accessible is one effective way to limit the need for transportation, but there is more being done!


Photo courtesy of Olympics official website


A “Limited Traffic Zone” was established in the center of the city to reduce car traffic, and also ensured the safety of pedestrians! Bike paths and additional parking spots for bikes were installed as well; not only does this help achieve the emissions reduction goals of the Games, but it also promotes active transportation. This aligns with one of the main commitments of the Games (promoting the role of sports) because by increasing the cycling capacity in the city, the Games created additional opportunities for residents and visitors to engage in active transportation for long after the Games are over.


To reduce the impact of personal vehicle use during the Games, this years’ organized planned for the utilization of electric, hybrid, and hydrogen-powered vehicles courtesy of Toyota, another Worldwide Olympic Partner. To further maximize the impact of the Games’ transportation choices, organizers optimized the use of the fleet to reduce the number of vehicles needed by about 40%. To learn more about the efforts undertaken to make Olympic transportation more sustainable, read this article from the Olympics website and the Explore France magazine.


Image courtesy of IOC


Sustainability in the IOC

These monumental efforts were not being undertaken alone. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has adopted a Sustainability Strategy to guide its work towards meeting two recommendations from a different plan, Olympic Agenda 2020. The Olympic Agenda 2020 is a more overarching document that encompasses much more than sustainability; the Sustainability Strategy focused on how the IOC will work towards meeting two of the specific recommendations within the agenda. These recommendations are: “Include sustainability in all aspects of the Olympic Games” and “Include sustainability within the Olympic Movement’s daily operations”. Together with a wide range of stakeholders, the IOC’s sustainability work falls under one of five focus areas:

  • Infrastructure and Natural Sites: Development and operation of indoor and outdoor sites wherever sports activities take place, including support and administrative infrastructure such as non-competition venues at the Olympic Games and offices of the Olympic Movement’s organizations. Measures the IOC will take to meet this goal include things like increasing the energy efficiency of their buildings, maximizing the use of existing infrastructure, and ensuring each site’s respect of protected cultural areas.

  • Sourcing and Resource Management: Sourcing of products and services by organizations within the Olympic Movement, and management of material resources over their lifecycle. Measures the IOC will take to meet this goal include things like reducing the amount of waste generated and accounting for the environmental and social impacts of the products and services purchased.

  • Mobility: Mobility of people and goods associated with the Olympic Movement’s activities, at the local and global scale. Measures the IOC will take to meet this goal include things like reducing the travel impact of IOC staff and guests, promoting sustainable tourism, and ensuring an environmentally and socially responsible freight operations.

  • Workforce: Working conditions and opportunities offered to employees, volunteers and contractors of the Olympic Movement. Measures the IOC will take to meet this goal include things like developing a wellness program to promote healthy lifestyles within the IOC, cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce, and offering quality educational and skills development to young professionals.

  • Climate: Management of direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions associated with the Olympic Movement’s activities, and adaptation to the consequences of climate change. Measures the IOC will take to meet this goal include things like reducing greenhouse gas emissions in order to achieve carbon neutrality and accounting for the adaptation to climate change while planning athletic facilities and events.


Image courtesy of IOC


To learn more about the work the IOC is putting into improving its sustainability, visit the IOC’s sustainability page. From here, you can access the full version of the sustainability strategy as well as an executive summary.


To be as effective as possible in their goals, the IOC is taking a three-pronged approach to how it advances sustainability: as an organization, as the owner of the Olympic Games, and as a leader of the Olympic movement. As an organization, the IOC is championing sustainability through the design and construction of its new headquarters, its procurement practices, and the Olympic Forest. To recognize these efforts and their impact, the IOC was certified to the international standard ISO 20121:2012 for its corporate events. According to the IOC website, this certification is “an international standard for sustainability management systems applied to events, pioneered by the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games London 2012.” Here are the steps that the IOC has taken to prioritize sustainability:

  • Preventing waste and maximizing reuse and recycling (examples: renting equipment locally as much as possible, designing menus to reduce food waste, and producing biogas and compost from food waste)

  • Incorporating environmental and social responsibility criteria when making purchases (examples: prioritizing local and certified food, selecting reusable and recyclable decoration and signage, and making sure gift are durable and manufactured in decent working conditions)

  • Reducing CO2 emissions by using event formats that allow for remote participation

  • Encouraging the use of public and group transport

  • Raising event participants’ awareness of the sustainability measures in place at the event


Image courtesy of IOC


The ISO 20121 certification was catalyzed during the planning process for the London 2012 Games and has been a requirement for each iteration of the Games since them. From 2030 onward, all Games will be required to minimize their emissions.


Conclusion

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games have taken large steps towards advancing sustainability and minimizing their greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible before, during, and after the competition is over. From the use of temporary infrastructure and renting equipment, to taking careful measures to reduce food waste and promote public transportation, the organizers of this years’ Games have made substantial effort to promote environmental, economic, and social sustainability. While we do not know the total weight or volume of food diverted from the landfill or the number of new hobby cyclists yet, we applaud the Games’ sustainability efforts and hope they “earn the gold” for their efforts!


Image courtesy of Canadian Olympic website




 

About The Author

Elizabeth Smith is a Summer 2024 Green Iowa AmeriCorps member serving with Polk County Public Works, and is currently working towards getting her Master's in both Community & Regional Planning and Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University!

Her future goals are to work as the Sustainability Director for a city or university. In her free time Elizabeth enjoys reading, running, lifting weights, and spending time with her friends and family. Fun fact: this photo was taken on a spring break trip to Uganda!

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