Environmental benefits of hosting the Olympic Games
From the start, sustainability must be part of the DNA of any hosting project.
Hosts must embed sustainability throughout the Games lifecycle; minimise negative impacts on the environment and use their visibility to showcase sustainable solutions.
Future Games will commit to tackling climate change. From 2030, Organising Committees will be obliged to reduce direct and indirect emissions, compensate more than their residual emissions, and use their influence to facilitate the transition to a low-carbon economy. Paris 2024 has a target to halve its carbon footprint compared to previous Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games, in line with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, with innovative solutions for energy, food, temporary venues, transport and digital services.
Hosts are required to protect biodiversity and manage resources sustainably.
The Games provide an opportunity to raise awareness of climate action and low-carbon technologies. Olympic hosting enables the acceleration of local, regional and national sustainability strategies.
Through its Sustainability Strategy, the IOC is committed to contributing to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The IOC has committed to leading by example in sustainability in a number of areas, such as reducing its own carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2030, compensating more than 100 per cent of its residual emissions, and using its influence to encourage stakeholders and fans to take action against climate change. Olympic House, the headquarters of the IOC, is one of the most sustainable buildings in the world.
Examples of environmental benefits from past and future Olympic Games
- Paris 2024 rented, reduced, reused and recycled wherever possible. Recycled and recyclable materials, such as certified wood, was used for the Aquatics Centre and Olympic Village, built to serve long-term residential needs. Following the Games, 100 per cent of products for temporary infrastructure and venues will be reused or recycled.
- Tokyo 2020 was a springboard for the introduction of hydrogen stations and fuel cell buses, as part of the Japanese government's long term vision to achieve carbon neutrality in Japan.
- Brisbane 2032 will advance Queensland’s transition to a low carbon economy, by building partnerships between government, industry and communities to educate, build capacity and achieve renewable energy and emissions reduction targets.
Sources: the Organising Committees of Paris 2024; Tokyo 2020; and Brisbane 2032
Sustainable venue masterplan
Since Olympic Agenda 2020, the IOC’s philosophy is that hosts are not required to adapt to the Games; the Games must adapt to the hosts. Therefore, no new infrastructure or venues are required to host the Olympic Games. Hosts are encouraged to prioritise existing venues, then consider temporary venues. New venues should be built only if there is a solid legacy and business case, in line with the long-term needs of the population, integrating sustainability principles into all aspects of design, planning and construction.
Any transport or general infrastructure improvements must be part of long-term socio-economic development plans to improve the region for its population. These developments represent a city or region investing in its own future.
There is no minimum spectator capacity requirement for venues, to ensure efficient legacy use.
See some more examples of climate legacies and sustainable transport solutions from recent and future Olympic Games, or find out more about the IOC’s sustainability goals.
Hosting the Olympic Games can also bring social benefits and economic benefits. Read more in the IOC Legacy Strategy or, to search for legacies from specific editions of the Olympic Games, visit the Olympic legacy page.
Documents:
Contractual framework for hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games