Paris Olympics poised to boost climate action

From L: The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Thomas Bach, France's President Emmanuel Macron, French journalist and singer Kareen Guiock-Thuram, former French football player Lilian Thuram and the French President's wife Brigitte Macron applaud during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on July 26, 2024. [AFP]

The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games are finally here, and away from the sporting activities, climate change enthusiasts will be keen on how it achieves less carbon footprints compared to previous ones.

With at least 800 Olympic sporting events, 15,000 athletes, 45,000 volunteers and 13 million meals, according to organisers, capping emissions at 1.75 million tonnes of carbon dioxide may look ambitious, but achievable. Comparable previous ones such as Tokyo 2020, Rio 2016 and London 2012 are estimated to have emitted an average of 3.5 million tonnes of CO2.