Green Games: Paris 2024 organizers promise more sustainable Olympics

Paris 2024's organizing committee is promising to deliver a more sustainable Olympic and Paralympic Games.

With the support of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), organizers aim to slash the carbon footprint of previous Games in half and control the event's climate impact.

This year's Olympics will be the first edition aligned with Olympic Agenda 2020+5; the successor of Olympic Agenda 2020, which was adopted by the IOC in 2014. Olympic Agenda 2020+5 — the Olympic strategic roadmap until 2025 — details 15 recommendations for the Olympics, including the fostering of a sustainable Games.

Previous Summer Games, including Rio 2016 and London 2012, emitted an average of 3.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, according to the IOC. Paris 2024's organizing committee has created a new climate impact model in an effort to cut that number in half.

Paris 2024 is using an AAROM approach — anticipate, avoid, reduce, offset and mobilize — to reach their sustainability goals.

As part of their new methodology to, the Games' organizers have addressed the indirect impact — including spectator travel — calculated and mapped required resources to minimize and control their life cycles, and plan to use 100 per cent renewable energy during the Olympics while limiting diesel generator usage, which will be powered by biofuel, H2 or batteries, the IOC said.

One of the most recent sustainability initiatives was the official Paris 2024 podiums, unveiled on May 23. With a look inspired by the Eiffel Tower and Paris rooftops, the podiums feature an eco-friendly design made from French wood and 100 per cent recycled plastic.

Step up to the podium