The Olympic Games offer an opportunity for the world to come together on peaceful terms and helps generate a sense of comradery among the global community. But it’s not only the athletes and spectators who feel the Games’ impact — the environment does too. An event of such scale can have significant implications for the natural landscape and careful environmental management and sustainability strategies are essential in order to lessen negative impacts.
The Paris 2024 Bid Committee is working to do just that. The Committee has joined stakeholders from across the sporting, business and political spectrum to address the environmental challenges facing the sport industry and share its ambitious strategy for the most sustainable Games ever at Climate Action’s Sustainable Innovation in Sport 2017 conference in Munich, Germany.
The meeting brought together key figures from government, governing bodies, clubs, federations and the private sector to debate and discuss the challenges and opportunities around enhancing sustainability in sport. Representing Paris 2024, Jérôme Lachaze, Head of Sustainability and Marie Barsacq, Director of Legacy, met with international colleagues to talk about Paris 2024’s vision on sustainability, looking at ways to max global partnerships for the Games and to help advance discussions for a more sustainable world of sport.
“Our innovative and ultra-compact Games are connected by the best public transport network, with 95 percent of venues existing or temporary,” said Jérôme Lachaze. “Paris 2024 will be the first Games aligned with the Paris Climate Agreement, showing we are doing our share to help protect our planet for future generations.”
Paris 2024 has also released an outline platform and animated film highlighting its commitment to creating a sustainable spectator experience. Developed in collaboration with all of Paris 2024’s official partners and suppliers, the website offers a taste of the spectator experience in 2024 and includes a glimpse of the innovative technology that will be used to ensure Paris 2024 delivers on its promise to be the most sustainable games in history. For example, wristbands will store visitors’ bookings and reservations, and serve as a means of payment on all of Paris’ public transport.
The film also introduces the Paris 2024 visitor app, which will assist guests in making sustainable travel choices. At the end of the Games, the app will tally up each user’s sustainable efforts into a points system and will pledge to plant trees based on each user’s score.
The Committee’s emissions reduction strategy is expected to result in a 55 percent smaller carbon footprint than London 2012, widely agreed to be the most sustainable Games to date. The Olympic and Paralympic Village is expected to be a model of sustainable development, including:
- 100 percent bio-based materials
- 100 percent renewable energy during the Games
- 100 percent sustainable certified food sources
- 100 percent of the Olympic family and spectators using clean transportation
- Over 26 hectares of biodiversity created on the Olympic sites in Seine-Saint-Denis thanks to the Games
“New technology and sustainable solutions provide us with means of helping our visitors make eco-friendly choices during the Games, and we are excited about introducing them to the Olympic family,” said Tony Estanguet, Paris 2024 Co-Chair. “We are committed to ensuring that Paris 2024 is the most sustainable games in history and this platform offers a first look at some of the fascinating innovations we will be using to do that. As we move forwards towards 2024, I am sure that we will introduce many more eco-friendly initiatives.”
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Published Feb 28, 2017 9am EST / 6am PST / 2pm GMT / 3pm CET