Organizers of Paris 2024 assert the event will be significantly less polluting compared to previous Games
Organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympics assert that the upcoming event will have a significantly lower environmental impact compared to recent Games.
TroibNews 
The Paris Olympics has announced that it had a smaller environmental impact compared to recent Games, yet it does not assert that it achieved "carbon neutrality," despite investing in initiatives to offset its emissions.
On Wednesday, organizers revealed that this summer's Olympics and Paralympics produced 1.44 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, attributed to various activities, including the food consumed by athletes, the construction of accommodations, spectator flights, and the energy used for events.
A French government carbon-impact calculator equates 1.44 million tonnes of CO2 to driving a car 182,675 times around the globe or equivalent to 898,305 round trips between Paris and New York.
Despite this, the organizers beat their goal of cutting the Olympics' pollution footprint in half, reporting a 54.6 percent decrease in CO2 emissions compared to the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
The Paris Games team emphasized that planning for carbon emissions well ahead of the event and establishing reduction targets were crucial steps. Those responsible for organizing the large-scale event were allocated carbon budgets, and emission reduction strategies were integrated into plans from the outset.
Just as athletes strive to improve their performance, the Paris organizers aimed not only for significant carbon reductions but also implemented smaller efficiencies by limiting the number of new venues built specifically for the Games.
The Olympic cauldron utilized electricity and LED spotlights to simulate a flame, resulting in a carbon footprint that was 300 times lower than if it had used gas. Furthermore, the Olympic medals incorporated recycled materials, each containing a piece of the Eiffel Tower.
Electricity supplied 98.4 percent of the Games' energy requirements, with a purchasing agreement signed with power supplier EDF ensuring that it was entirely sourced from solar or wind energy.
Plant-based hot dogs and other vegetarian options, which have a lower carbon footprint than meat, made up 40 percent of the food available to spectators. Additionally, the meals provided to Games workers and volunteers had a carbon footprint that was half that of regular French cuisine.
Paris achieved record attendance with 12.1 million tickets sold, but the carbon cost associated with transporting spectators to the French capital and to events was higher than anticipated. Initially expected to represent about one-third of Paris' carbon footprint, transportation ultimately accounted for 53 percent.
Of the spectators, just over 66 percent were from France, while more than 21 percent were from elsewhere in Europe, and another 12 percent traveled from further destinations, predominantly from the United States, Brazil, and Canada. For those taking long-haul flights, the carbon impact was approximately 1,000 times greater than for local attendees.
Organizers disclosed plans to allocate over 12 million euros to projects in Africa, Asia, Central America, and France aimed at offsetting the Games' 1.44 million tonnes of carbon emissions.
These funds will support initiatives such as providing tens of thousands of less-polluting cooking stoves and enhancing access to clean water in Nigeria, Congo, Kenya, and Rwanda, along with solar energy projects in Senegal and Vietnam, and reforestation efforts in Guatemala, Kenya, Senegal, and France.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
On Wednesday, organizers revealed that this summer's Olympics and Paralympics produced 1.44 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, attributed to various activities, including the food consumed by athletes, the construction of accommodations, spectator flights, and the energy used for events.
A French government carbon-impact calculator equates 1.44 million tonnes of CO2 to driving a car 182,675 times around the globe or equivalent to 898,305 round trips between Paris and New York.
Despite this, the organizers beat their goal of cutting the Olympics' pollution footprint in half, reporting a 54.6 percent decrease in CO2 emissions compared to the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
The Paris Games team emphasized that planning for carbon emissions well ahead of the event and establishing reduction targets were crucial steps. Those responsible for organizing the large-scale event were allocated carbon budgets, and emission reduction strategies were integrated into plans from the outset.
Just as athletes strive to improve their performance, the Paris organizers aimed not only for significant carbon reductions but also implemented smaller efficiencies by limiting the number of new venues built specifically for the Games.
The Olympic cauldron utilized electricity and LED spotlights to simulate a flame, resulting in a carbon footprint that was 300 times lower than if it had used gas. Furthermore, the Olympic medals incorporated recycled materials, each containing a piece of the Eiffel Tower.
Electricity supplied 98.4 percent of the Games' energy requirements, with a purchasing agreement signed with power supplier EDF ensuring that it was entirely sourced from solar or wind energy.
Plant-based hot dogs and other vegetarian options, which have a lower carbon footprint than meat, made up 40 percent of the food available to spectators. Additionally, the meals provided to Games workers and volunteers had a carbon footprint that was half that of regular French cuisine.
Paris achieved record attendance with 12.1 million tickets sold, but the carbon cost associated with transporting spectators to the French capital and to events was higher than anticipated. Initially expected to represent about one-third of Paris' carbon footprint, transportation ultimately accounted for 53 percent.
Of the spectators, just over 66 percent were from France, while more than 21 percent were from elsewhere in Europe, and another 12 percent traveled from further destinations, predominantly from the United States, Brazil, and Canada. For those taking long-haul flights, the carbon impact was approximately 1,000 times greater than for local attendees.
Organizers disclosed plans to allocate over 12 million euros to projects in Africa, Asia, Central America, and France aimed at offsetting the Games' 1.44 million tonnes of carbon emissions.
These funds will support initiatives such as providing tens of thousands of less-polluting cooking stoves and enhancing access to clean water in Nigeria, Congo, Kenya, and Rwanda, along with solar energy projects in Senegal and Vietnam, and reforestation efforts in Guatemala, Kenya, Senegal, and France.
Camille Lefevre for TROIB News
