Cultural Peace, Gender Parity, And Climate Ambition At The Paris Olympics 2024

I’m not sure what moved me most during the Paris Olympics 2024—Celine Dion’s stunning performance of Edith Piaf’s “Hymne à L'Amour” from the Eiffel Tour, every time Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone lit the racetrack on fire with her record-breaking precision and speed, Simone Biles triumphantly taking home four gold medals, the new electric breakdancing competition, or the moment Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre took the stage in Long Beach to usher in the the 2028 Summer Olympics.

One thing is certain, there were more than a few key takeaways that filled my heart with optimism during International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach’s closing speech. To a crowd of athletes and supporters representing 205 countries and territories, he declared that the Olympic Games can create a “cultural peace that inspires the world.” Indeed they can. 

Bach also noted that this Olympics marked the first time full gender parity has ever been achieved in the Games. I stopped breathing for a second when he said that. In addition to all the iconic, athletic wins that took place this summer, what a monumental victory this has been for the Olympics as an institution and women everywhere. 

Attempting To Be The Most Sustainable Olympics Ever

As for the sustainability measures the city of Paris took to host the Olympics, they were ambitious in approach, criticized by many in execution, and should be applauded IMHO. With a goal of halving the carbon footprint of the Games compared to the average of London 2012 and Rio 2016, the organizers planned to cut plastic use in half, used beds made of cardboard and recycled materials, and had designs to double the amount of vegetarian meals served to the athletes and spectators compared to previous Games. 

The organizing committee members had their work cut out for them and faced a slew of hurdles, including a massive heat wave during the onset. This came after they decided to not install air conditioning in the athletes’ village. A number of the competitors including all 600 of the Americans reportedly brought portal AC units to their rooms. And of course it goes without saying that being sustainable means factoring in and lowing the carbon footprint of travelers. More than six million visitors celebrated at sites across France.

While I don’t know the collective carbon emissions of all the spectators, I’m sure it’s astronomical. Let’s hope more airlines follow United Airlines' lead and begin using sustainable aviation fuel. So far, it’s only happening at Chicago International O’Hare Airport. But it’s a start—just like the Paris Olympics organizers’ attempt at being the most sustainable Olympics ever was a start. 

Madeleine Orr, professor of sports ecology at the University of Toronto, pointed out a behind-the-scenes sustainability win for the Paris Olympics; all the broadcasts happened on an electric grid. It’s worth noting that France’s power grid is one of the cleanest in the world. In 2023, France announced that 91.58% of its electricity comes from low-carbon sources. 

Construction is where the Paris Olympics made the most positive strides in climate action. The arena at Porte de la Chapelle was made from low-carbon concrete, filters the air from a nearby highway, and is encased in recycled aluminum. Eighty percent of the building’s surface is covered in greenery. The Aquatics Center is made of 50% wood, sits on a giant solar farm that can provide enough power for the entire building, and has seats made of 100% recycled plastic. 

After Paris passed the Olympic flame to L.A., I began thinking about what the City of Angels might have planned to represent itself and the United States from a climate perspective. The organizers are already adhering to guidelines and turning to venues it already has, such as Exposition Park’s Memorial Coliseum, Carson’s Velodrome, and downtown’s Convention Center, instead of building new sites. As of now, the plan is for the athletes to stay at college campuses rather than for the city to build a new Olympic Village.

As a former resident of L.A., which has a burgeoning climate tech and storytelling community, I’m looking forward to seeing how my old stomping grounds innovates in the name of sustainability, cultural peace, and athletic greatness. Until then, we'll always have Paris.