In the past, hardly any price was too high for the Olympic Games. Billions of euros were spent to give athletes and their supporters an unforgettable summer games. The effort was very costly - including for our ecosystem. Environmental friendliness and mega-events are usually at odds with each other. Paris wants to change this and has set itself the goal of hosting the first sustainable Olympic Games.
CO2-Neutral Olympics
2012. London. Olympia. An event of superlatives and also the subsequently recorded CO2 balance is high. The host produced 3,4 million tons of carbon dioxide during the Summer Games. A value that our planet cannot afford due to the current climate crisis. However, the 2024 Olympics does not want to follow suit. Under the guiding principles of "more responsible, more inclusive, more sustainable", Paris has set itself the goal of making the Games more environmentally friendly than ever before while at the same time only emitting half the amount of CO2 as London.
How Paris wants to reduce its ecological footprint
Small and large measures show that Paris is serious. And that starts with providing both athletes and spectators with only low-meat meals. The food offered should be regional and seasonal.
For years, the French capital has been campaigning to reduce the number of parking facilities and to prevent them from being built at all. This is also with the ulterior motive of not having the possibility of reaching the venues by car. As a compromise, Cycles and subway can be used.
One of the larger projects, however, is the cleaning of the Seine. Although it has been hotly debated in the past, it is nevertheless an enormously important step in saving our ecosystem. Because garbage and other pollution are dangerous for the natural habitat in waters, as well as for people. The project could become a model for cleaning other and larger bodies of water.
Wood: The game changer of the Olympic Games
While the trend in recent years has been to build new monuments for the Olympic Games, 95 percent of the venues in Paris already exist and are to be used. However, a few places, such as the water sports center or the Olympic Village, were planned and built with a long view of the future. The most important raw material for this: wood.
Wood is considered CO2 neutral if a new tree is planted for every tree felled and is allowed to grow for the same number of years as its predecessor. But this aspect is not the only decisive reason for using the natural material. The natural insulating properties and the carbon-storing function of wood make it one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly materials in the construction industry.
The new aquatic centre in Saint-Denis in particular was designed and built with care. The building is not only considered low-carbon, but also collects rainwater and generates sustainable energy with its 5000 square metre solar panel on the roof.
Another must for Paris? All buildings around the Olympic Village that are lower than 8 stories must also be made of the natural material. Paris' big goal of hosting sustainable games is within reach, especially because they were able to reduce the carbon content of the new buildings.
Source Olympics Paris 2024 & Copyright by Proloog
Paris as a pioneer of sustainable mega-events
Paris shows that years of planning are necessary for sustainability and mega-events to be like-minded. Every step is thought through during the planning stage and considered for the future after the Summer Games. However, we will probably only find out after the Olympic Games whether Paris manages to realize its ambitions. Nevertheless, Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 should look to the French host as a model for sustainable Olympic Games.
