Sustainability has been at the heart of Euros 2024 and the Paris 2024 Olympics. But what has been done, is it enough and what does it all mean for businesses and fans?
We've been treated to major global sporting events this summer.
Hosting these events represents significant economic benefits. Euros 2024 generated a record £2.03bn in commercial revenues (26% higher than Euro 2016 in France) and £1.69bn in profits, also a record. Only the summer Olympics (£3.3bn in 2020) and the football World Cup (£5.88bn in 2022) generated larger revenues in sport.
But it also comes with great responsibility. There's increasing focus on the environmental impact of organising such events. ‘Environmental aspects are one of the core priorities for the organisation of the event,’ UEFA states. ‘As an organiser, we are aware that the organisation of such a major event, gathering football stakeholders and fans from all over the world, involves a significant footprint. We are therefore determined to be part of the solution to reduce as much as possible our impacts on the environment.’
We’ve seen comprehensive sustainability strategies for both events, aiming to minimise environmental impact and enhance social responsibility. This commitment reflects a growing awareness and urgency to address climate change and environmental degradation, leveraging the global visibility of these events to promote sustainable practices.
Paris 2024 Olympics: A sustainable showcase?
The Paris 2024 Olympics could be the hottest Olympics on record with temperatures reaching 35°C. When Paris last hosted the Olympics in 1924, annual temperatures there have warmed by 1.8C while, on average, there are 23 more “hot” days (25C+) and nine more “scorching” (30C+) days a year. Paris 2024 aims to be the "greenest" Games in history. This ambition is anchored in the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Olympic Agenda 2020, which emphasises sustainability as a core principle. Paris 2024 is focusing on several key areas:
Carbon emissions reduction: The Games are targeting a 50% reduction in carbon emissions compared to London 2012 and Rio 2016. This includes accounting for all emissions, from direct operational activities to indirect spectator travel (scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions). Notably, the Games are using 100% renewable energy, with venues like the Aquatics Centre utilising solar power and other sustainable energy sources.
Circular economy: Paris 2024 has adopted a robust circular economy strategy, emphasising the reuse and recycling of materials. For instance, 95% of the venues are either existing or temporary structures. Items like tents, furniture, and equipment are mostly rented or provided by sports federations, ensuring a second life post-Games.
Local community impact: The Games are leveraging infrastructure improvements, particularly in the Seine-Saint-Denis area, one of the less affluent regions of Paris. The Olympic Village, post-Games, will transform into a new residential and business district, with a significant portion dedicated to affordable housing. This initiative aims to improve local living conditions and provide long-term economic benefits.
Sustainable food practices: 13 million meals are being served with a focus on local and plant-based options to reduce carbon footprints. The goal is to halve the carbon emissions of the average meal served during the Games.
Sources: Olympics and The Guardian
It’s also important to point out that the Games haven’t been without criticism from environmentalists. Surfing is taking place 16,000km away from Paris in Tahiti, French Polynesia. The erection of spectator towers in the reef has brought widespread condemnation with concerns that they could harm the ecosystem including infecting sealife and permanently damaging the reef itself.
Euros 2024: A model for sustainable football?
Similarly, the UEFA Euros 2024 in Germany prioritised sustainability and aimed to be ‘the most sustainable European Championship of all time’. The event took significant steps, such as:
Carbon offsetting: UEFA committed to offsetting unavoidable carbon emissions through a Climate Fund, which supports local initiatives in energy, water, waste management, and smart mobility. For each tonne of CO2e emissions produced, £21 has been donated to the fund. Based on pre-tournament projections, around £5.9m will be made available for climate-protection projects. This equates to roughly 60,000 tonnes of carbon emissions saved. This fund also aimed to raise climate awareness within the football community, particularly at the grassroots level, with 190 amateur clubs and 21 regional associations across Germany benefiting from it to invest in sustainable infrastructure.
Sustainable infrastructure: Like Paris 2024, the Euros 2024 minimised new construction, utilising existing stadiums and facilities. This approach reduces the event's carbon footprint and promotes a legacy of sustainability.
Public transport: authorities made it much more appealling to get public transport to matches with ticket holders given free of charge travel on local trains and buses. 80% of Euros 2024's carbon footprint was expected to come from transport, particularly air travel. UEFA subsidised discounted Interrail train passes and the rail operator, Deutsche Bahn, extended their high-speed train services to help get more fans from A to B.
Community engagement: The tournament encouraged sustainable behaviours among fans, such as using public transportation and reducing waste. UEFA's efforts also include promoting environmental practices in local clubs, thus fostering a broader cultural shift towards sustainability in football.
Source: Clean Energy Wire
All of this said, there are some unescapable truths for UEFA to face. They are expanding three of its men’s club competitions, with their women's competitions expected to follow suit in the near future. This will result in an extra 177 international fixtures a season which will considerably beef up football’s carbon footprint. It's estimated that teams and fans will travel an extra 463m air miles a year to attend European games in the 2024-25 season.
Despite UEFA acknowledging the significant contribution of fan travel to events overall emissions, as mentioned above, these figures aren't measured in its own carbon footprint calculator. They told the Guardian that UEFA “considers fan travel out of scope as it is not under [UEFA’s] operational or financial control”.
The role of business engagement and sponsorship
Sustainability initiatives in both events have significant implications for business engagement. Sponsors are increasingly drawn to the positive brand association with environmentally responsible events.
UEFA themselves are committed to achieving net zero by 2030. Net zero is now being seen as a mutual playing ground for brands; something they have in common which, if executed on correctly, can prove to be profitable and purposeful.
Companies like Coca-Cola and Toyota have integrated their sustainability goals with these events, promoting products and practices that align with the overarching green agendas. Both companies are transparent in their emissions disclosure and are targeting near-term emissions reduction and net zero. They are tying their environmental ambitions to brand activation and user engagement activity.
However, there's a balance to strike for event organisers with some sponsorships threatening to contradict wider environmental ambitions. Two fossil fuel companies, three fossil fuel financiers and eight airlines were listed as official sponsors at Euros 2024.
Whilst it is evident that Paris 2024 Olympics has taken more measures to avoid emissions rather than relying on carbon offsets, as in the case of Euros 2024, they have both proven that they aren't just sporting events but pivotal moments for promoting sustainability. They represent a movement for how large-scale events can be designed and executed with environmental impact in mind, while also inspiring global audiences, businesses and local communities towards a more sustainable future.
To see how brands are leveraging environmental performance to achieve their business goals, head to https://www.earthmark.io/brands.
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