Even though it remains merely a manifestation of ideas and brainstorming sessions neatly and tightly bound within a few dozen pages of crisp white copy paper–or a few dozen swipes on an iPad, depending on your age–the bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games put forth by Paris 2024 has been lauded with an internationally-renowned reward for sustainability. Tony Estanguet, Paris 2024 co-chairman and triple Olympic gold medalist (2000, 2004, 2012) in the men’s canoe slolam, was present to accept the ISO 20121 Best-Practice Award on Monday, which recognizes the Paris 2024 bid for sustainable and responsible event planning.
That’s good though, right? Well, it depends on whether or not Paris would actually be able to live up to its promises. If Paris cannot successfully execute the plan laid out in the bid, and this award sways the IOC’s decision to award the Olympics to Paris, then the French capitol risks hurting its own image and the Olympic brand.
Recent history–Rio-2016-recent–proves the Olympics are far from sustainable when massive new infrastructure must be constructed solely for the purposes of the Games. Less than one year since the conclusion of the Rio Games, which were so environmentally-forward that even the medals were made out of recycled materials, the Olympic venues have fallen into varying states of disrepair as Rio has neither any use for the new venues, nor the money to pay for their upkeep.
Paris 2024 (per gamesbids.com) claims the winning formula goes as follows:
Social Consultation – Paris 2024 has consulted with a number of social development bodies on every aspect of its bid, ensuring sustainable and responsible planning.
Commitment to stakeholders – including schools, public sector, sports entities, private companies. Seventeen of Paris 2024’s corporate partners all offer innovative services to ensure a progressive sustainable bid.
Governance – Paris 2024’s bid is built upon an ingrained code of ethics which practices financial transparency, environmental responsibility and sustainable innovation.
Legacy – that the Paris 2024 Games will leave a lasting legacy for the people of France, with more sport, sustainable projects and social enterprises than ever before.
As France phases out plastic dinnerware and cups by 2020, sports fans are left to wonder how food and drink vendors will be affected. While this legislation is not mentioned specifically in the award, it may have played a role in the ISO decision. To learn more about ISO 20121 “sustainable events” standards, click here.
To read the IOC’s evaluation of Rio’s bid, click here. To read Paris 2024’s bid book, click here.