HOSTING and staging the Olympic Games has a significant carbon footprint, new research shows. Mainly linked to the transportation of athletes by plane and the construction of infrastructure, the cost is indeed high for the planet. However, there are solutions for achieving net reductions, from which Paris could take inspiration when organizing the 2024 edition.
The pandemic isn't all bad... at least from a carbon impact point of view. In fact, 2020 and its various lockdowns led to a spectacular drop in consumption, in turn reducing our carbon footprint. And, although taking place in 2021, the Tokyo Olympics will also see a reduction in carbon emissions compared to other editions. Again, this is due to the pandemic, as the famous global competition has no international spectators this year. This is demonstrated by a new study from Greenly, a website proposing carbon impact calculation services.
This research is based on an analysis of available scientific literature about the Olympics, and work published by the organizers of these competitions. According to Greenly's calculations, the empty stands in Tokyo reduce the carbon footprint of the Games by 12.5 per cent compared to previous editions. Ultimately, the figure remains relatively low, but this reduction is mainly due to emissions linked to air travel (80 per cent) by foreign spectators. The remainder are emissions related to fixed costs, notably accommodation and food.