Let the games be green
How the Winter Youth Olympics is adapting to climate change
Climate change is snow joke. And my time at the Winter Youth Olympic Games held in Lausanne, Switzerland early this month was a stark reminder.
It occurred to me just how much effects of climate change could impact the future of the Winter Olympics. I did some research – this wasn’t just a dystopian prediction for a few hundred years’ time - there’s rigorous research that shows by 2050 many of the existing host nations of the Winter Olympics (9 of the 21 analysed), may be too warm for snow, and to even host them again.
In real terms, it means that within the lifespan of every single youth Olympian that’s been in Lausanne, as few as one-third of host venues would remain as viable options to run outdoor events.
That itself throws up wider issues. Young, hopeful Olympic athletes that are in the early stages of their career may, in just a handful of years, struggle to find places to train. These are the ones who will be hit hardest as frozen lakes stay flowing and ski hills stay slushy. Some ski resorts in the USA have been predicted to see a 50 percent drop in season length by 2050 and 80 percent by 2090. If this offers a glimpse of how the rest of the world will be affected, we are in big trouble.
Finding solutions goes beyond the events themselves, although we’ve seen enforced by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) to reduce the carbon footprint generated by the Games. As the Olympic cauldron was lit in Lausanne earlier this month to mark the start of the 3rd Winter Youth Olympic Games, it used eco-friendly fuel for the first time. A symbolic choice and a signal of its commitment to making this one the most sustainable games yet.
I managed to catch Virginie Faivre, President of the Lausanne Youth Olympic Games, to get her take on sustainability measures this year.
Some other steps include:
- Speed skating on a natural lake which happened to be located about 5 hours from Lausaane, in St Moritz, whilst biathlon and Ski Jumping were in France to avoid the environmental implications of building more infrastructure for single use purposes.
- The Olympic village which housed 1,800 athletes over two weeks was designed with student accommodation in mind, helping add value and improve economy in the area
- Everyone involved in the Olympics across the Suisse Romande region – from athletes and coaches to media and spectators – were given lanyards (not plastic free, sadly, but we’re all about progress not perfection) that provided access to the entire public transport system in Lausanne – buses, trains and trams to reduce congestion on the roads and limit the associated emissions.
- Pre-existing infrastructure has been redeveloped for winter sport activities. The Vaudoise Arena – which housed the Youth Olympic ice hockey and the Opening Ceremony, was already part of the region’s long-term development goals. Its renovation was accelerated in order to be ready on time for the YOG. It will remain as the new home of Lausanne Hockey Club and used for future sports events, including the 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships.
Of course, this alone doesn’t protect our winters or secure the future of the winter Olympics, but it does set a standard for international sporting events and illustrates the action-based approach IOC is taking the issue of sustainability – and that’s a step in the right direction.
Note: My travel to Switzerland was carbon offset by the IOC with EasyJet offset scheme.