Indian Council of World Affairs

The recently concluded 2024 Paris Olympic Games boast several new records and standards, both on and off the field. Apart from setting 32 new world records and 12 new Olympic records and gaining a widespread appreciation for maintaining gender parity in almost all aspects, including medal events, volunteers, organising staff, etc.,[i] the games also garnered worldwide acclaim for upholding France’s promise of making it the greenest Olympics ever.[ii] Redefining the conventional idea that major sporting events take a major toll on the climate, the Paris Olympics set out to minimise the total carbon footprint of the games by at least 50 percent as compared to the Olympic Games of London and Rio held in 2012 and 2016, respectively.[iii] 

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games have now set a benchmark for the future hosts of the event, simultaneously providing a guiding path for such countries. With Los Angeles, USA, and Brisbane, Australia hosting the 2028 and 2032 Olympics, respectively,[iv] the bidding war to acquire the hosting rights for the 2036 Olympics games has caught attention. In this regard, India’s eagerness to host the Games was visible in PM Narendra Modi’s address from the Red Fort on the occasion of India’s Independence Day, where he stated, “Our goal is to host the 2036 Olympics on Indian soil. We are preparing for this and making significant progress toward it”.[v] Since India is one of the primary countries pitching their candidacy for the hosting rights, it becomes imperative that the country assesses the possibilities and challenges it might face while organising the games and, more importantly, making it as sustainable as possible. In this regard, this Issue Brief seeks to discuss the practices and approaches opted by the Paris 2024 Games organising committee to host the greenest Olympics ever and analyse what India can draw from this edition to prepare for the challenges it might face in hosting another climate-safe Olympic Games.  

Sustainable Practices at the Paris 2024 Games 

Sporting events such as the Olympics take place on a huge scale, which consequently carries the risk of excessive carbon emission owing to several factors, such as new construction of stadiums and housing complexes, transportation used by the athletes and the spectators, energy consumption in terms of hotel stays, food preparation, etc. Therefore, it is essential to account for the rising temperature and climate degradation while organising events of this scale and limit carbon emissions as much as possible through various means. In this regard, the initiative to consider the effects of global warming and manage the carbon footprint of the games is drawn from the Olympic Agenda 2020 adopted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2014.[vi]

The Paris 2024 Games were the first to be organised according to the recommendations of the Agenda, which includes ‘sustainability’ as one of its key pillars. Abiding by the recommendations of the Agenda, the Games focused on limiting the carbon footprint through several sustainability measures and approaches that were planned to cater to the needs of the people, the competition, and the environment. The French organisers prepared a carbon budget since the country’s candidature phase that accounted for all possible emissions generated from operations, construction, food catering, transit for athletes and visitors, etc. To meet the goal of at least 50 percent emission reduction compared to the London 2012 and Rio 2016 games, the budget calculated the material footprint and helped facilitate the meticulous planning of the Paris games.[vii]

The primary ways in which the organisers set out to transform the sustainability quotient of the Games aimed at anticipatory emission reduction by reusing and recycling existing resources and incorporating the usage of renewable energy as much as possible.

Anticipatory Emission Reduction and Reuse or Recycling of Resources

As an initial step to meet the sustainability goals, the organisers located and restored existing venues, stadiums, and structures to avoid constructing new ones for the Games' usage.[viii] With the Stade de France, constructed in 1998 for the FIFA World Cup, being used for most of the events, only one new competition venue built was the Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis. Collectively, 95 percent of the Paris Games took place in structures that are either being reused or are temporary.[ix]

Moreover, the newly constructed Olympic Village was built with 30 percent less carbon emissions compared to the usual French constructions and 94 percent through material retrieved from deconstruction.[x] It is considered an eco-neighbourhood for its characteristics, such as its geothermal cooling system to avoid using air conditioners (AC), energy generation through solar panels, six hectares of green space, and its eventual transformation into a residential-cum-business district post the Games.[xi]

Adding to the principle of reuse, at least 75 percent of the two million pieces of sports equipment and goods used during the Games were either supplied by different sports federations or rented for the period of the games to avoid fresh production for one-time use.[xii] Additionally, 90 percent of the total of six million products used during the games, including sports equipment, electronic items, tents, stands, etc., have been guaranteed a second life to encourage reuse to minimise emissions.[xiii]

Further practices, such as the construction of a new Aquatics Centre, involved seats made out of recycled plastic bottle caps and adopted greener construction methods by using biosourced wood for the structure.[xiv] Similarly, the Olympic Village adopted measures such as making mattresses from recycled fish nets and beds from reused cardboard.[xv] Even the catering infrastructure and equipment used during the games have been ensured a 100 percent reuse after the games. The organisers also vowed to cut the carbon footprint of meals by at least 50 percent by doubling the amount of plant-based food served at the Games. They even halved the usage of single-use plastic associated with food consumption.[xvi]

Encouraging Renewable Energy Usage

The Paris Games showcased a drastic improvement as compared to the previous editions in terms of incorporating the use of renewable energy to oversee a climate-safe Olympics. The Games operated entirely on renewable energy, which was sourced locally.[xvii] All the venues at the Paris Games were interconnected by setting up a common grid network of spaces run on renewable energy. Even the use of temporary diesel-run generators was avoided by substituting these generators with the ones that run on hydrogen, biofuel, or batteries. The efficient installation of solar panels at the Olympic Village and the new Aquatics Centre also helped in promoting the use of renewable energy.[xviii]

Additionally, the Paris Games minimised carbon emissions by making sure that all the venues were accessible by public transport, which encouraged greener transit options for the people.[xix] Even the athletes and participants travelled in buses that were either electric, hybrid, or hydrogen-powered, contributing further to the idea of promoting renewable energy sources.[xx] To further support greener practices, over 400 km of bike lanes were designated,[xxi] and over 3000 pay-as-you-go bikes were made available for the visitors to travel during the Games.[xxii]

In essence, the organisers adopted measures to encourage a circular economy model at the Paris Olympics by emphasising an efficient reduction in the carbon footprint through the principles of reducing, reusing, recycling, and further promoting the use of renewable energy sources. The careful preparedness by the organisers at the Paris Games has been exemplary and presented the possible challenges future hosts of the Games might encounter. Therefore, considering India’s wish to bid for the hosting rights of the 2036 Olympic Games, it becomes necessary to understand what it can draw from this edition to make its bid a promise for another sustainable Olympics and the challenges it might face in the process. 

India’s Bid for the Olympics

As India gears up its efforts to bring the Olympic Games to home turf, it’s leaving no stone unturned in this pursuit. From frequent Mission Olympic Cell (MOC)[xxiii] meetings to asking the Paris Games athletes to note the arrangements made by France, the government’s intent to help India prepare a worthy bid to host the Games is quite clear.[xxiv] However, with the Paris Games setting a benchmark for climate awareness and green world sporting events, India will have to prepare according to the set standards of sustainability to pose as a worthy candidate for the hosting rights. In this pursuit, India can draw from three key approaches taken up by the Paris Games organisers concerning energy grids, food redistribution, and urban planning to minimise the carbon footprint of the games.

Energy Grids

Opting for 100 percent use of renewable energy, the Paris Games had all of its venues connected to an energy grid to avoid the usage of temporary or conventional sources of energy.[xxv] This approach is something that India has already been working on as a larger cooperation with other countries through the One Sun One World One Grid initiative, which seeks to connect energy supply networks and develop an international electricity supply grid.[xxvi] Furthermore, since India’s progress in generating and adopting more renewable sources of energy throughout the country has been faster than its anticipated targets,[xxvii] it can easily incorporate the grid network approach for its venues if it hosts the Games in 2036. 

Food Redistribution

The Paris Games sustainability preparation also accounted for the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from food waste. Although the GHG emissions from food waste aren’t exactly significant, the idea of food redistribution serves a dual purpose. Apart from minimising emissions, the redistribution of food also helped the needy population of the country. The Paris Games tied up with three groups that collected the food from the Olympic sites each morning and shared it with the charities to redistribute the food accordingly.[xxviii] This move has set an example for the future hosts of the games to adopt, and since India is one of the frontrunners in the race for the hosting rights, adopting such measures could be a good step forward. Moreover, India already has several such organisations and groups that collect extra food from events such as marriages and parties to redistribute it. Thus, India just has to ensure they make efficient use of the resources available to them. 

Urban Planning

The Paris Games emphasised the necessity of sustainable architecture and its role in bringing down the carbon emissions count. The organisers resorted to providing green spaces of six hectares at the Olympic Villages to help with cooling down the building temperatures. The Olympic Village also included 1000 large and 8000 smaller trees or shrubs to add to the green spaces.[xxix] Additionally, both the new constructions for the Games, the Aquatics Centre and the Olympics Village, were built in underinvested neighbourhoods to efficiently use this opportunity to boost their growth.[xxx] This approach by the Paris Games organising committee can be beneficial for India as well if it seeks to avail this opportunity and re-direct investment to some under-developed areas of the country while achieving the sustainability goals of the Games. 

However, while such initiatives and strategies might help strengthen India’s bid for the 2036 Olympic Games, it is also noteworthy that it won’t be as smooth of a task for the country. The process involves meticulous planning and preparations, which may pose certain challenges to the preparation and sustainability aspects of the Games, as it did in Paris as well.

Challenges

It stands true that the Paris Games celebrated sustainable practices and stood as an inspiration for future large-scale sporting events to minimise their impact on the environment. However, even the Paris Games had to face several unprecedented challenges, which might repeat when India hosts the Games as well.

For instance, the Paris Games faced a direct challenge to their sustainability actions and calculations with the hot weather prompting some athletes to get personal ACs. Although the Olympic Village was constructed in such a way that it pumped water around 50 meters beneath the surface to maintain cooler temperatures, the unbearably hotter temperatures led some wealthier countries to get portable ACs for their rooms.[xxxi] This poses a perpetual threat to collective climate action as well as maintaining a level playing field for the athletes who cannot afford this luxury. Hence, considering the rising temperatures around the world and its effect on Indian cities during the same time as the usual schedule of the Summer Olympics, it is probable that the country will encounter similar problems if it hosts the Games. 

Moreover, as a developing country, India currently faces the challenge of limited available resources to host an event such as the Olympic Games. Reports suggest that out of the total sports facilities in India, only 10.4 percent fulfil the requisite Olympic standards.[xxxii] Even though this figure does not include the sports infrastructure currently under construction, it still puts the country in a challenging position to begin with. However, a decade and a half time should also prove sufficient for the country’s sports structure to put its act together and mobilize resources.

Conclusion

The Olympics are arguably the greatest sporting event in the history of mankind. While participating in the Games is itself an honour, hosting it brings an entirely different kind of pride to a country. India’s decision to bid for the Olympic Games of 2036 is a reflection of the growing confidence in its capabilities and fits in well with its vision of Viksit Bharat @2047. Moreover, India’s rapid progress in the global economy is a testimony that it is prepared to host a sporting event of such magnitude. Despite the challenges it faces, there is still time for the country to prepare a competitive bid, as the decision on hosting rights will only be made once the new IOC president is elected next year.[xxxiii] In the meantime, including environmentally sound strategies in the bid that promote the idea of a sustainable Olympic Games could help India have an edge over other bidders in the process. An environmentally conscious Olympic Games could be our credo.

*****

*Vijay Anand Panigrahi, Research Intern, Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi
Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal.

Endnotes:

[i] International Olympic Committee. (2024, August 11). Paris 2024: Record-breaking Olympic Games on and off the field. IOC. Retrieved August 15, 2024, from https://olympics.com/ioc/news/paris-2024-record-breaking-olympic-games-on-and-off-the-field

[ii] Masterson, V. (2024, March 26). Paris aims to host the most sustainable Olympics ever – here's how the city is preparing. World Economic Forum. Retrieved August 18, 2024, from https://olympics.com/ioc/news/paris-2024-record-breaking-olympic-games-on-and-off-the-field

[iii] VOA News. (2024, August 10). Paris Olympics food donations seek to help needy, contribute to sustainability. VOA News. Retrieved August 23, 2024, from https://www.voanews.com/a/paris-olympics-food-donations-seek-to-help-needy-contribute-to-sustainability-/7734325.html

[iv] Oller, A. (2024, August 07). India still very much in the 2036 Games bid race. Inside The Games. Retrieved August 17, 2024, from https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1147575/india-still-very-much-in-2034-games

[v] Mylvahanan, A. (2024, August 24). Is India ready to host the Olympics? The Bridge. Retrieved August 25, 2024, from https://thebridge-in.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/thebridge.in/amp/olympics/is-india-ready-to-host-olympics-49247?amp_gsa=1&_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQIUAKwASCAAgM%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17246803904302&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%

[vi] International Olympic Committee. (2024, July 25). All you need to know about Paris 2024 sustainability. IOC. Retrieved August 15, 2024, from https://olympics.com/ioc/news/all-you-need-to-know-about-paris-2024-sustainability

[vii] Ibid.

[viii] International Olympic Committee. (2024, April 22). Less, better and for longer: Five ways Paris 2024 is delivering more sustainable Games. Olympics. Retrieved August 22, 2024, from https://olympics.com/ioc/news/less-better-and-for-longer-five-ways-paris-2024-is-delivering-more-sustainable-games

[ix] Op. cit 2, Masterson.

[x] Op. cit 6, International Olympic Committee.

[xi] Op. cit 8, International Olympic Committee.

[xii] Op. cit 6, International Olympic Committee.

[xiii] Ibid.

[xiv] Op. cit 8, International Olympic Committee.

[xv] Op. cit 2, Masterson.

[xvi] Op. cit 6, International Olympic Committee.

[xvii] Op. cit 8, International Olympic Committee.

[xviii] Ibid.

[xix] Op. cit 6, International Olympic Committee.

[xx] Op. cit 8, International Olympic Committee.

[xxi] Ibid.

[xxii] Op. cit 2, Masterson.

[xxiii] The MOC is under the Chairmanship of the Director General, Sports Authority of India, is a dedicated body created to discuss the processes and methods to assist the athletes.

[xxiv] Gupta, B. (2024, August 9). India's 2036 Olympic Games Bid: Will It Be A Winner's Curse? Outlook. Retrieved August 20, 2024, from https://www.outlookindia.com/sports/others/indias-2036-olympic-games-bid-winners-curse-spiralling-costs-and-other-downfalls-for-host-country

[xxv] Op. cit 8, International Olympic Committee.

[xxvi] Panigrahi, V. A. (2024, April 16). India Spearheading the Climate Change Mitigation Parade: A Focus on Its Global Initiatives. Indian Council of World Affairs. Retrieved August 27, 2024, from https://www.icwa.in/show_content.php?lang=1&level=1&ls_id=10754&lid=6831

[xxvii] Ibid.

[xxviii] Op. cit 3, VOA News.

[xxix] Op. cit 6, International Olympic Committee.

[xxx] Ibid.

[xxxi] Mordak, S. (2024, August` 8). "The Paris Olympic Village air-conditioning debacle is a perfect illustration of the barriers to climate action". Dezeen. Retrieved August 11, 2024, from https://www.dezeen.com/2024/08/08/paris-olympics-air-conditioning-smith-mordak-opinion-olympic-impact/

[xxxii] Op. cit 5, Mylvahanan.

[xxxiii] Business Standard. (2024, June 21). India to push its 2036 Olympic bid in Paris, seek inclusion of Indic sports. Business Standard. Retrieved August 28, 2024, from https://www.business-standard.com/sports/olympics/india-to-push-its-2036-olympic-bid-in-paris-seek-inclusion-of-indic-sports-124062100470_1.html