Paris 2024 aiming to cut carbon emissions by half
The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris are aiming to reduce their carbon emissions by half, compared to London 2012 and Rio 2016.
The Olympic Committee has promised that the upcoming event will align with the goals of the Paris agreement on climate change, with the significant aims having formed part of the city’s successful bid to host the Games in the first place.
London 2012 and Rio 2016 were the first Games to publicly announce their impact on the environment, with each accounting for around 3,5 million tonnes of CO2.
Paris will aim to generate no more than 1,56 million tonnes, according to Jérôme Lachaze, who was in charge of sustainable development for the Paris bid.
If successful, this will represent a drop in emissions of 55%.
The emission count will begin seven years ahead of the Opening Ceremony, and will take into the account preparatory work by the organisational committee - right down to every movement, email, or phone call.
It will also include the construction of sites and infrastructure, logistics, accommodation and consumption of spectators, logistics of the athletes and their delegations, along with medical supplies, and provisions for the 20 000 journalists expected to attend.
“This will be the first global sporting event aligned with the objectives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions set out in the Paris agreement on climate change,” explained Pascal Canfin, director general of non-profit WWF France, which was associated with the original Paris 2024 bid.
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Speaking to French newspaper Le Monde, he added: “This will be a way of giving new life to the Olympic Games.”
