During the summer, global warming leads to extreme temperatures and storms that can impact the quality of competitions as well as the health of athletes and spectators.
Europe is currently experiencing the hottest heatwave of the year. Although Olympic athletes in Paris for the Summer Games 2024 may avoid the worst of the heat, the weather will still be very hot.
As global temperatures rise, major sporting events such as the Olympics and FIFA World Cup must adapt to high temperatures and severe storms to ensure the safety of athletes and fans while keeping the games ongoing.
Europe is currently experiencing the hottest heatwave of the year.
Should the Olympics Continue?
The Olympic organizers have rescheduled events like the marathon to early morning or even moved them to cooler cities. Meanwhile, FIFA postponed the men’s World Cup in 2022 from its traditional June date to late November to accommodate Qatar’s climate.
The risks of rising temperatures and the environmental impact of major sporting events have led some to question whether these events should continue. However, Associate Professor Brian P. McCullough at the University of Michigan believes that the Olympics could promote sustainable environmental actions among the global public.
According to the expert, the sports industry is an area that needs to focus on environmental sustainability. Climate change poses health risks to both athletes and spectators, potentially jeopardizing the future of some sports.
Winter sports face the greatest risks from climate change due to rising temperatures and fluctuating precipitation. This situation significantly shortens the time available for winter sports in many regions.
In 2022, the Beijing Winter Olympics had to create artificial snow for skiing events. The International Olympic Committee has delayed the decision to select host cities for the Winter Olympics from 2030 onward due to uncertainty about conditions for winter sports.
The Olympic Rings on the Eiffel Tower in Paris. (Photo: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg).
By summer, global warming causes extreme heat waves and severe storms that can affect the quality of competitions, as well as the health of athletes and spectators.
Major federations and sports leagues, like the Olympics, have responded to these risks by delaying competitions to cooler times of day or year, adding breaks for hydration, and allowing more substitutions for athletes.
The Tokyo Summer Olympics were held amid intense heat in 2021. The organizers prioritized moving the marathon to Sapporo, over 800 km north of Tokyo, so athletes could run in cooler conditions. They also postponed events during the Olympics to avoid extreme heat and excessive rain.
Goal of 50% Reduction in Carbon Emissions for Paris 2024 Olympics
Conversely, major events like the Olympics also generate significant carbon emissions due to construction, transportation, and energy use.
These impacts and risks are why environmental sustainability has become a pillar of the Olympic Charter since 1996 and a focus for future planning. In 2012, the London Olympics pioneered the introduction of a new international certification standard, ISO2012, guiding major events to make more sustainable choices, from construction to catering.
The Paris 2024 Olympics, scheduled from July 26 to August 11, and the Paralympic Games from August 28 to September 8, are certified under the latest standards, and organizers are implementing numerous measures to reduce climate impact.
Organizers aim to provide 100% of the energy for the event activities using renewable energy from wind and solar sources. They prioritize using existing venues, constructing new sites with low-carbon concrete and recycled materials, and offering thousands of seats made from recycled plastic.
All furniture and buildings approved for the Olympics must also be ensured for reuse rather than disposal. All competition venues will utilize public transport, reducing vehicular traffic on the streets.
Even food aims to cut carbon emissions by 50% compared to regular meals by increasing the use of plant-based foods. The Paralympics will use the same venues and accommodations in the following weeks.
However, this does not mean that the 2024 Olympics will be carbon-free, especially with a large number of spectators and athletes arriving by air. Nonetheless, the organizers are targeting emissions from construction and operations to be half of those during the London and Rio Olympics in 2012 and 2016.
The Paris Olympic Games are a prime example of how major sporting events can reduce environmental impact and promote sustainable solutions for a global audience. Spectators will experience sustainability firsthand at the event, while organizers successfully encourage sustainability efforts for the Olympics.
Passengers gather around the departure board at Gare Montparnasse in Paris as France’s high-speed rail network is disrupted. (Photo: Telegraph).
Such campaigns can influence daily behaviors and even encourage participation in sustainable activities within their communities.
Proposals to downsize sporting events, even eliminating commercialized sports, overlook the capacity for sports to impact and change human behavior, noted Associate Professor Brian P. McCullough.
The expert believes that sustainability is an evolving process, learning from the past to improve the future.
The strategies for the 2024 Olympics are based on those used in previous events and what Paris has learned from its experiences. Subsequently, the strategies of the 2024 Olympics will also help plan future events, including the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles 2028.
