Europe is in the midst of a heat wave, and while Olympic athletes in Paris for the 2024 Summer Games might be spared the worst of it, the weather will still be hot.
As global temperatures have risen, major sporting events like the Olympics and FIFA World Cup have had to adapt to high heat and extreme storms to keep athletes and fans safe and allow the games to go on.
Olympic organizers have moved events such as marathons to early morning and cooler cities. FIFA, the governing body for world soccer, pushed the 2022 Men’s World Cup back from its usual time in June to late November so it could be held in Qatar.
The heat risks and the environmental impact of major sporting events have led some people to question to whether these events should be held at all. But as someone who studies sport management and sustainability in an area I coined “Sport ecology”,” I believe that radical approach misses the benefits, including the Olympics’ ability to promote sustainable actions to the public worldwide.
Sports have good reason for caring about sustainability: Climate change can put athletes’ and fans’ health at risk and even put the future of some sports in doubt.
Winter sports face the greatest challenges from climate change as temperatures rise and precipitation changes, dramatically shortening winter sports seasons in many areas.
In the summer, global warming fuels extreme heat and storms that can affect the quality of the competition and the health of the athletes and fans
Major sports organizers, including the Olympics, have responded to the risks by delaying competitions to cooler times, initiating water breaks and offering more player substitutions.
Any large event like the Olympics can produce vast carbon emissions through its construction, transportation needs and energy use.
That impact, and the risks it creates for sports and their athletes, are why sustainability has been a pillar of the Olympic charter, since 1996 and is a focus of its planning for the future.
The 2024 Paris Games, from July 26 to Aug. 11, and Paralympic Games, Aug. 28 to Sept. 8, are certified to the latest standard, and organizers are taking many steps to reduce their climate impact.
The organizers plan to power the events’ operations with 100% renewable energy from wind and solar. They are using existing venues when possible, had new ones built with low-carbon concrete and recycled materials, and brought in thousands of seats made of recycled plastics.
All furniture and temporary buildings approved for the Games also must have a contractually guaranteed second life, rather than going into a landfill. All of the competition venues are on public transportation, allowing for fewer vehicles in the streets.
Even the food is targeted for a 50% emissions cut compared with the average meal by increasing the use of plant-based foods. The Paralympics will use the same venues and housing in the weeks that follow.
That doesn’t mean the 2024 Olympics won’t have a large carbon footprint, however, particularly as many competitors and supporters arrive by plane.
