How Sustainable Are the Paris Olympics and Paralympics 2024?
It’s the “greenest games ever” according to the organizers. But my research suggests it’s a mix of worthy innovation and blind spots.
The Olympics and Paralympics 2024 in Paris, France, starts on Friday, July 26, and ends on Sunday, August 11. That’s 17 days for which Paris welcomes 15.000 athletes and 45.000 volunteers. According to the Paris Tourism Office, some 2.3 million to 3.1 million will pass through the French capital for the 33rd modern Olympic Games by the time it’s all over, and the torch moves on.
While the Olympics are always an event of superlatives, the Parisienne organizers have introduced a new discipline for our delectation: Sustainability. They promise the “greenest games ever” and claim to “set new standards for environmental responsibility.” But do their claims stack up? Or, like a twitchy track competitor in the starting blocks, should they be disqualified for a false start?
Great Green Words
The Olympic and Paralympic organizers were vocal about their sustainability efforts since they started planning the event: The topic is very present in the trailer published 7 years ago by the city of Paris. So there was clarity about their green ambition…
