Paris 2024 has been billed as the “greenest ever” Olympic Games, and Mayor Anne Hidalgo hopes it lives up to that reputation. On Thursday, March 14, Reuters reported that Hidalgo is urging nations to resist the temptation to install air conditioning units at the athletes’ village.
Instead, Hidalgo advised nations planning to install air conditioning to “trust the science.” She assured competing nations that the buildings in the athletes’ village have been designed with a natural cooling system.
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Here’s how the cooling system functions: water is drawn from underground to create a natural cooling mechanism. Additionally, the buildings’ facades are aligned to generate naturally shaded areas, reducing direct sunlight exposure.
However, some competing nations remain unconvinced about forgoing air conditioning units, especially considering 2023 was reportedly the hottest year on record globally.
“It’s a massive logistical challenge, but we’re considering portable air conditioners to offer athletes,” Australia’s Chef De Mission Anna Mears said.
Hidalgo maintains that installing air conditioners won’t be necessary.
“We must trust the scientists when they assist us in constructing buildings in a manner that allows us to manage without air conditioning,” Hidalgo said.
Some nations are in agreement with Hidalgo’s perspective. The German Olympic Committee reported visiting the athletes’ village and determining that the natural cooling system is adequate.
In total, approximately 6,000 athletes will reside in the village for part of the summer. Following the conclusion of the Games, the village will reportedly be repurposed as housing for Parisian locals.
Hidalgo is also gaining attention for her stance on Russian athletes. She told Reuters that she “would prefer them not to come” due to Russia’s war against Ukraine, which she believes denies Ukrainians their right to exist as a people and a nation.
The International Olympic Committee has stated that Russian and Belarusian athletes can compete as neutral athletes. However, the committee has not yet announced whether Russian athletes can participate in the opening ceremony under a neutral flag.
Recently, the International Paralympic Committee declared that Russian and Belarusian Paralympic athletes would not participate in the opening ceremony.
Hidalgo expressed her support for this decision, deeming it “just.” When asked by Reuters about whether Israeli athletes should face similar restrictions, she dismissed the idea of penalizing Israel but stressed her support for diplomatic efforts to secure a cease-fire
