In the lead-up to the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the government has pledged to make the tournament as green as possible through green public transport, extensive recycling efforts and reusable venues. But is it possible to make the World Cup, which is held in the desert, truly environmentally friendly? Many wonder if air-conditioned stadiums and plenty of water and other amenities could be needed for the influx of tourists. Because they needed it, they doubted whether it would be possible to make it truly environmentally friendly. The French government is now aiming to make the 2024 Paris Olympics greener than ever, hoping this will contribute to a long-term green transition in the French capital.
As governments and international organizations drive a global green transition, there is growing pressure to make major international sporting events greener and reduce waste. But launching a large-scale green event is easier said than done. Preparing for the large influx of tourists and constructing suitable venues for various sporting events usually generates large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions. But Paris believes it can not only significantly reduce emissions, but also prepare for the Olympics in a more environmentally friendly way.
The Olympics typically involve around 10,500 athletes and 15 million spectators. This level of tourism has a negative impact on the environment. Most visitors arrive by plane, which consumes contaminated jet fuel. Additionally, most Olympic Games are held in locations that are not yet prepared for the event, requiring investments in the construction of large-scale venues, tourist accommodation, and other critical infrastructure. yeah. For this reason, many environmental activists are calling for the Olympics to be held at existing venues around the world. But Paris thinks it can be done differently.
Organizers say the Games will produce less than half the greenhouse gas emissions of recent Olympic Games. To achieve this, organizers are considering all aspects of the game, from power, food, buildings, and transportation. Sports venues will not have huge diesel-fueled generators installed, instead using electricity generated primarily from solar and wind sources.
Repurposing existing buildings across the city is expected to have a significant impact on carbon emissions. Event organizers plan to significantly reduce the construction of new venues and instead renovate existing buildings such as the Grand Palais, Place de la Concorde and the pool built for the 1924 Paris Olympics. . Several new buildings in the development, including player housing, swimming facilities and an arena, will be constructed using more wood and less cement, and will be fitted with solar panels. Organizers also plan to use the buildings long-term as community spaces rather than for a single sporting event.
In the run-up to the Olympics, some controversial plans include installing cooling systems that use underground water instead of air conditioners in buildings in the Olympic Village. Because of this, some Olympic teams are considering bringing their own air conditioning. After the event, the 128-acre Olympic Village will be repurposed as a mixed district housing 6,000 residents.
Paris is rapidly expanding bike lanes and reducing space for cars, with the aim of cutting emissions and creating more space for pedestrians and cyclists. The government has also planted thousands of trees across Paris to help decarbonize the city and provide shelter for residents and tourists during the hot summer months. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has spent the past five years of his tenure transforming Paris into a greener city. Hidalgo explained, “What we've been working on is a whole adaptation program to bring nature back into this city. We're trying to build this around the individual.”
There is great optimism about the possibility of a greener Olympics in Paris. However, promises made so far by sporting event organizers and governments have not materialized. In 2022, Qatar has pledged to reduce its World Cup carbon footprint by using renewable energy, developing reusable buildings, carrying out extensive recycling and other green initiatives. However, it has been widely criticized for having too high a carbon footprint. Due to the intense heat in Qatar, the huge stadium was equipped with air-conditioning equipment even in winter. Additionally, travel contributes to about half of the World Cup's carbon emissions, and as Qatar is too small to handle the influx of tourists, many tourists stay in neighboring countries and fly to the games. I had to.
Several professional players signed before the World Cup Open letter to FIFA “This tournament has been dubbed the first 'fully carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup tournament', which means the overall impact on the planet should be zero, but that's not true.” FIFA's sustainability strategy for the Qatar World Cup is based on incomplete carbon accounting, questionable offsetting practices, and shifting responsibility onto the fans rather than shouldering it themselves.'' The letter called on FIFA to scrap the “carbon neutral” label to avoid greenwashing, and called on organizers to redouble their efforts to reduce future emissions.
All eyes around the world are now on whether Paris can significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with the Summer Olympics. This is no easy task, but reusing buildings, incorporating renewable energy sources into venues, and other environmentally friendly initiatives can help organizers reach their goals.
Written by Felicity Bradstock, Oilprice.com
