Thousands of athletes at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris will have to make do without air conditioning as the organisers have decided not to install ACs at the athletes’ village as part of their initiative to combat global warming. Rather than having air conditioning, a geothermal cooling system will be used to maintain the temperature of the apartments, where 10,500 Olympians and 4,400 Paralympians will stay.
“We designed these buildings so that they would be comfortable places to live in in the summer, in 2024 and later on, and we don’t need air conditioning in these buildings because we oriented the facades so that they wouldn’t get too much sun during the summer, and the facades, the insulation is really efficient,” said Yann Krysinski, who is directing the service of infrastructure for the Games.
“We also are providing naturally cool water that we’re getting from underground to cool the air of these apartments. So you will not need air conditioning in the summer here,” Yann added.
The event is scheduled to take place between July 26 and August 11, a time when extreme temperatures are predicted in the city. Heat waves over the summer of last year claimed the lives of almost 5,000 people in France, according to a February announcement by health officials. According to a new study, the capital may experience more heatwaves lasting weeks during the 2024 Olympics, potentially breaking all previous records for temperature. The current records sit at 108 degrees Fahrenheit or 42.23 degrees Celcius.
Despite this, the organisers of 2024 Summer Olympics are confident that by installing specialised technology to use natural sources to keep everyone cool even during a potential heat wave, they will be able to deliver the most sustainable Olympics to date and reduce the carbon footprint of the Paris Games by half.
Netizens/scientists question the rationale behind the decision
The country’s decision to not install air conditioners for athletes as part of their ‘go green’ initiative, that too at this part of the year when the temperature in France soars to almost 42 degrees Celcius, has not only left the participants but several scientists and social media users baffled.
A scientist by the name of Mark Nelson took to X to question the French government’s choice to deny the athletes access to even a basic comfort like air conditioning in an effort to “combat climate change,” particularly in light of the country’s nearly carbon-free electricity.
He pointed out how France has excess electricity and its system is almost entirely carbon neutral. In fact, the country has so much extra electricity that in the summer, it even shuts down its nuclear reactors. “Yet it appears they’re intentionally underpowering cooling for athletes to make a fake environmental statement,” Mark Nelson lamented.
PARIS TO DENY AIR CONDITIONING TO OLYMPIC ATHLETES IN AUGUST TO "COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE"
— Mark Nelson (@energybants) April 3, 2024
France's electricity is almost completely decarbonized and there's so much extra in the summer they have to turn off nuclear reactors!
Yet it appears they're intentionally underpowering… pic.twitter.com/jgLHIBznPM
Craig Kelly, a former member of the Australian Parliament also called the decision an ‘insane delusion’ given that most of France‘s electricity comes from nuclear power, he said.
“NET ZERO MADNESS AT PARIS OLYMPICS : No air conditioning at Olympic Village In their insane delusion to make Paris the “greenest” Games ever, powered on “100% renewable energy” the Olympic Village has been built without air conditioning. Given that most of France‘s electricity comes from nuclear power – it’s not just madness, but virtue signalling madness. Imagine being an athlete and after training for years, trying to set yourself for a personal best performance- and being unable to sleep before your event in a small hot-box room without air-conditioning in the middle summer. So now countries including Australia are buying portable air conditioners to place in the athletes rooms,” he stated.
NET ZERO MADNESS AT PARIS OLYMPICS : No air conditioning at Olympic Village
— Craig Kelly (@CraigKellyPHON) March 3, 2024
In their insane delusion to make Paris the "greenest" Games ever, powered on "100% renewable energy" the Olympic Village has been built without air conditioning.
Given that most of France‘s… pic.twitter.com/yhK8qSTnRy
One other social media user questioned whether every politician in France will also follow suit.
How much you want to bet every politician in France has air conditioning? 2024 Paris Summer Olympics Cancel Air Conditioning Due to Climate Concerns https://t.co/Z2TD7Rq45H
— 🇺🇸James Lee🇺🇸 (@leepd84) March 22, 2024
‘We’re not going for a picnic’: Teams hit back at Paris Olympics organisers for its no air conditioning green policy
Several teams that will be participating in to 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris do not seem to be happy with the decision to not install ACs for athletes in the sweltering summers, which they feel would ultimately affect their performances. Many teams have said that they will be utilising portable air conditioners in their rooms due to concerns over the performance of their athletes.
During the games in Paris, Greece’s Olympic delegation will be equipped with portable air conditioners. Earlier this year, Spyros Capralos, the president of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, told the Greek newspaper Kathimerini that the organisation would “spare no expense” for its athletes and that they intended to either purchase air conditioners or find a sponsor to meet their air conditioning demands.
The Australian Olympic team stated in November of last year that it was prepared to spend more than $100,000 AUS (€60,000) on air conditioning and fans to keep their athletes comfortable.
Matt Carroll, the CEO of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), stated to the media that they “appreciate the concept of not having air conditioning due to the carbon footprint. But this is a high-performance game. We are not going for a picnic.”
He stated that the AOC has hired a heat specialist who knows how the human body functions best at different temperatures.
“As we’ve explained to the Paris Organising Committee, athletes have got to sleep during the day, because their events are at night,” Carrol added.
“Daytime will be when it’s hottest. That’s been informing our decision to put temporary air conditioners in the athletes’ rooms and also fans.”
For “performance-related” reasons, the Irish Olympic Federation is also apparently intending to cover the cost of air conditioning for its athletes’ lodging at the 2024 games.
According to the organisers, delegations will not receive A/C units. The addition of portable air conditioners to rooms, however, is possible “through a list of rental equipment offered by Paris 2024.”
All of their cooling techniques, however, they claim, give them “confidence that the athletes and their staff will be comfortable in the village without needing A/C.”
