Sustainability is at the forefront of the 2024 Paris Olympics, with organizers hoping to mitigate the negative environmental impact the games will have and to limit the amount of wasted space after the closing ceremony.

Keeping new construction to a limit is one of many goals set out by the organizers, including cleaning up the Seine river, offsetting carbon output through reforestation, and using 40% less vehicles and climate friendly vehicles to transport Olympic officials, among others.

Matthew Huber, professor of geography and the environment, highlights the infrastructural advantage France has to promote sustainability. “France is known for having one of the most decarbonized electric grids in the world because they have about 70% of their electricity coming from nuclear power, which is zero carbon energy,” Huber says.

Read more in the Cronkite News article, “Could 2024 Paris Olympics be blueprint of sustainability for cities across the globe?”