Climate change and the Paris Olympics – a centennial perspective

Held from July 26 to August 11, the Olympic Games in Paris provide the perfect opportunity for a climatic reflection – exactly one hundred years ago, the world’s best athletes also competed in this city. Although in 1924. high temperatures prevailed, they were not as oppressive as they are today. Although this year’s inauguration of the Olympics took place in the rain, the French meteorological service reported 35°C heat as early as July 30.

1924 Paris Olympic Games.

On July 12, 1924, during the Paris Olympics, 38 athletes competed in a 10 km cross-country race. The day was hot, and the pillar of the mercury indicated 33°C. As a result of the extreme conditions, as many as 23 athletes did not finish the race, and eight of those who made it to the finish line required evacuation on a stretcher. Following the incident, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) decided to withdraw cross-country running from the Summer Olympic Games program.

Nevertheless, the rest of the sports competitions took place without any major weather problems. The average daily temperature remained at a pleasant level of about 24°C., and the vast majority of the 3088 athletes participating in the Paris Olympics did not experience thermal discomfort.

100 years later, it’s warmer

A lot has changed over the past century, and not just in sports – this year 10,500 athletes are already competing in France. athletes from all over the world. For months their main concern has been the weather. In June, a team of former Olympians and experts in. physiology and climatology published a cautionary report entitled Rings of Fire. It expressed concern that steadily rising temperatures would not only negatively affect performance in many disciplines, but could also threaten the health of participants.

This year’s Olympic Games in Paris are taking place in a new and more difficult climatic reality. Since 1924. average annual temperature has risen by 1.8°C, and average July and August temperatures are as much as 2.4-2.7°C higher. France now records 23 more warm days (25°C+) and 9 more hot days (30°C+) per year than a century ago.

The French meteorological service, in a long-term forecast published on July 22, predicted that the entire quarter will be warmer than normal. This is the cumulative effect of global climate change and the just-ending impact of the El Niño phenomenon. Despite being located in the north of France, Paris is increasingly experiencing hot weather – in 2019. a record 42.6°C was recorded here. The discomfort is compounded by the urban heat island effect, the occurrence of higher temperatures due to the accumulation of materials such as concrete and asphalt, which absorb solar radiation instead of reflecting it.

What does the future hold for the Summer Olympics?

This year’s Olympics are expected to attract some 15 million spectators – more than 20 times as many as a century ago. Fans will also be struggling with the heat in the concrete jungle, in crowded public transportation, stadiums and arenas. Even Olympic stars are complaining about the lack of air conditioning on buses. The heat is also bothering fans and athletes in Marseille and Nice, where sailing and soccer competitions are taking place.

Paradoxically, athletes are suffering because the organizers, in an effort to minimize the climate change impact of the Paris Olympics, chose not to install air conditioning in the Olympic village. They opted for eco-friendly methods in the form of underfloor cooling and insulation – unfortunately, these don’t seem to be working well enough. Some teams brought their own air conditioning units, which caused astonishment.

The emissions associated with the travel of 15 million fans and tens of thousands of athletes and coaches to the French capital cannot be ignored either. Greenly, a company that specializes in calculating carbon footprints, has estimated that the air transportation associated with the Olympics alone will generate an additional 837,000 tons of carbon dioxide.

In four years, the Summer Games are to be held in Los Angeles, and in 2028. Brisbane will be the host. While the Australian city, located in the southern hemisphere, will offer athletes pleasant winter temperatures of around 20 degrees Celsius, California can expect more than 30-degree heat in July. Unfortunately, more mass sporting events are unlikely to help stem the global rise in temperatures.

Photo. main: Guillaume Bontemps/Paris Media Centre Platform