While recent organizers have championed sustainability narratives, the data tells a more complicated story.
The Olympic Games have long been celebrated as the pinnacle of human achievement and international unity. However, as the global climate crisis intensifies, a sobering reality is emerging: the very event intended to celebrate the future of humanity is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain, both ecologically and logistically.
While recent organizers have championed sustainability narratives, the data tells a more complicated story. From the massive carbon cost of permanent stadiums to the hidden emissions of high-carbon sponsorships, the Olympic movement is at a critical crossroads.
The downward trend in sustainability.
Contrary to the polished marketing campaigns, the overall sustainability of the Olympic Games has actually declined over the last three decades. A longitudinal study of 16 editions of the Games between 1992 and 2020 revealed a troubling trend: sustainability scores are dropping. While we often think of the Games as getting more climate-aware, the scale of modern editions has often outpaced their efficiency. The study highlights the Sochi 2014 and Rio 2016 Games as low points, marred by massive construction projects and significant ecological disruption.
Moving toward a no-build future.
Historically, the carbon footprint of the Games has been staggering. London 2012 and Rio 2016 emitted an average of 3.5 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (tCO₂e). Much of this is embodied carbon, or the emissions resulting from the production of steel, cement, and glass for venues that often become properties requiring more care and expense than they yield in profit once the closing ceremony ends.
However, the tide is starting to turn:
Milano Cortina 2026: The Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Village is pioneering the adaptive reuse model, and some infrastructure will be converted into the city’s largest student housing complex after the Games, providing over 1,000 beds for the local community. The project prioritizes decarbonization through modular, low-carbon construction and onsite renewable energy, aiming for LEED Gold certification with a goal of achieving NZEB (Near Zero Energy Building) status for more than 50% of the complex.
Paris 2024: Set an ambitious target to halve the historical footprint to roughly 1.58–1.75 million tCO₂e. By utilizing 95% existing or temporary venues and doubling plant-based food options, they’ve provided a blueprint for radical reduction.
Los Angeles 2028: Following the Paris lead, LA has committed to a no-build Games. By using existing stadiums, they expect to save $150 million and avoid the massive emissions associated with new, permanent construction.
The sponsorship gap: The hidden carbon cost.
Perhaps, the most overlooked aspect of the Olympic footprint is what experts call sponsorship emissions, referring to the emissions generated by corporations that use the Olympics as an opportunity to boost their brand and sales. Sponsorship emissions are calculated based on the increased sales of high-carbon goods and services (such as fossil fuels, internal combustion engine vehicles, and air travel) generated by the advertising value of the Olympic brand. The methodology suggests that for every dollar spent on sponsorship, there is a return on investment in the form of increased sales, which carries a specific carbon intensity.
For the upcoming Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Games, sponsorship deals with oil, gas, and aviation companies are estimated to induce an additional 1.3 million tCO₂e, sparking collaboration between scientists and athletes to speak out. These induced emissions are approximately 40% higher than the entire estimated carbon footprint of the Games’ preparation and travel combined. The deal with energy giant Eni alone is considered to have a severe impact and is estimated to generate emissions equivalent to melting 1.7 square kilometers of snow cover, and is representative of 74% of the entire official carbon footprint of the Milan Cortina Games.
The fight for artificial snow.
The Winter Olympics are facing an existential threat: the loss of natural snow. This has forced organizers into a resource-intensive fix of artificial snowmaking.
Beijing 2022 relied almost entirely on artificial snow, requiring 49 million gallons of water in a water-scarce region. Beyond the water usage, the ecological damage is significant. Artificial snow creates a harder, icier surface that alters the thermal properties of the ground, damaging native vegetation and causing soil erosion. For Milan Cortina 2026, the demand will exceed 3 million cubic yards of artificial snow, necessitating the construction of new high-altitude reservoirs.
A shrinking pool of potential hosts.
Climate change isn’t just an environmental concern for the IOC; it’s a logistical nightmare. The number of cities capable of safely hosting the Games is shrinking rapidly.
Since Cortina d’Ampezzo first hosted the Games in 1956, February temperatures there have warmed by an average of 2°C. By the 2050s, only 52 of 93 potential host locations will remain climatically reliable. Climate science shows that by 2080, that number could drop to just 30. The outlook for the Winter Paralympics, held in the warmer month of March, is even bleaker. Under high-emission scenarios, only four reliable hosts may remain on the entire planet by 2080.
For summer hosts, the enemy is extreme heat. By 2050, 16% of previous or potential host cities will be unviable due to the risk of heat stress for athletes. This creates a geography of inequality. As the planet warms, the Games will likely be forced into Northern Europe or high-elevation regions, effectively excluding low-income nations and the Global South from ever hosting the world’s premier sporting event.
As for what’s next, the IOC shared that they are considering moving the Winter Olympics to January in order to benefit from colder weather and more snow. They’ve also shared that they are considering introducing traditional summer sports into the Winter Olympics in order to boost popularity and generate revenues. Currently, both the 2030 French Alps and the 2034 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics are scheduled for February. “We are reviewing the size of the Games, the mix of sports, options for new additions. We also look at potential crossover between summer and winter sports,” Karl Stoss, who heads the IOC’s Olympic Programme Working Group, told an IOC session on Wednesday.
