The Future of the Olympics
Previous Olympic hosts demonstrated their administrative and infrastructural prowess through the construction of new venues that were subsequently abandoned. The Olympic games of tomorrow, particularly Paris 2024, will look to demonstrate similar prowess through a different approach, namely expediting the improvement of existing infrastructure. In doing so, host nations look to make progress towards sustainability policies.
Paris will play host for the 2024 games, with the games generating 10.7 billion euros and 250,000 jobs. The games has also formally joined the “Race to Zero” campaign, initialised by United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC). Central to Paris’ bid was the need to mitigate transport issues experienced in previous games such as Rio 2016. Paris has focused on expanding its rail network, the Grand Prix Express, with new lines being added that would extend out to the suburbs of Paris. This plan forms part of France’s wider policy to fully decarbonise its transport by 2050; it is in this spirit that domestic flights under 2 hours were prohibited. It is reported that the games will act as a regeneration to expedite the transformation of existing infrastructure.
In a similar vein, Paris 2024 will make use of 95% of existing infrastructure, with the remaining development planned to regenerate run-down areas. Similar plans were seen in London, where Olympic development was used to revitalise existing areas. However, the resulting development might result in a London situation where the most people are priced out of the market. The revitalisation of areas, and making use of existing venues is an attempt to establish an Olympic economic model that is affordable, and minimises wastage. Success in this area will shape future Olympic games, and lead to the return of more olympic bids from host nations.
Future Olympic Games will continue to show their infrastructural and administrative prowess through running efficient and sustainable games. However, the main aim behind confirmed host nations and future bids will be to expedite their respectives policies for transformation, particularly promoting their sustainability targets.
Disclaimer: All views are my own and not those of my employer
