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As we approach the Paris Olympics, questions about sustainability loom large. While organizers have billed these Games as “the greenest” ones to date, whether they’ll live up to this promise remains to be seen.
Today in The Conversation Canada, Adam Ali and MacIntosh Ross from Western University and jay johnson from the University of Manitoba take a look at how Olympic host nations and the International Olympic Committee have approached environmental stewardship in the past.
Despite promising greener and more sustainable Games, previous Olympics have resulted in significant environmental damage, especially during venue construction and preparation phases.
As Ali, Ross and johnson write, concerns are not limited to environmental impacts alone; social issues, like the forced displacement of residents and the suppression of dissenting voices, also mar the Games’ legacy.
They write: “The Paris Olympics presents an excellent opportunity for journalists and news media outlets to illuminate the voices of environmental advocates, hold the IOC and French authorities to account in their engagement with activists.”
Also today:
All the best,
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Activists of the C.I.O Comitato Insostenibili Olimpiadi (Unsustainable Olympics Committee) show a banner in Italian reading: “Milano-Cortina 2026, from the mountains to the city, unsustainable Olympics,” as they march in Milan, northern Italy, on Feb. 10, 2024.
(AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Adam Ali, Western University; jay johnson, University of Manitoba; MacIntosh Ross, Western University
Despite the IOC’s optimistic rhetoric, environmental exploitation by host nations, and the suppression of opposition to such exploitation, have remained a troubling feature of the Olympic Games.
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Shifting sport to Health Canada could transform the landscape of Canadian sports by addressing existing challenges and introducing a fresh focus on athletes’ physical and mental well-being.
(Shutterstock)
Teresa Anne Fowler, Concordia University of Edmonton
There is an urgent need to shift sports administration to Health Canada, which should prioritize the health and well-being of all athletes, especially children.
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To reduce alcohol consumption among young people, parental rules are more effective than daily discussions.
(Shutterstock)
Catherine Cimon-Paquet, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM); Cécile Mathys, Université de Liège; Marie-Hélène Véronneau, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)
Parents of teenagers play an important role in their alcohol consumption. A new study shows that parental rules are the key, and that talking is not all that useful!
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AI-powered chatbots with romantic and sexual roleplay features are growing in popularity.
(Shutterstock)
Valerie A. Lapointe, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM); David Lafortune, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM); Simon Dubé, Indiana University
Artificial intelligence technologies are changing how users experience intimate romantic and sexual connections. These technologies bring many positive benefits, but there is a dark side.
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L'œil est un endroit privilégié afin de dépister certaines maladies.
(Shutterstock)
Langis Michaud, Université de Montréal
L’œil est une fenêtre parfois sous-estimée sur la santé globale d’un individu. Un simple examen de routine peut aider à dépister de nombreuses maladies.
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Arts
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Alison Blair, University of Otago
The Beatle’s first film, A Hard Day’s Night, debuted on July 6 1964. Sixty years on it still explodes with revolutionary pop-cultural energy.
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Culture + Society
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Clare Copley, University of Central Lancashire
The German far-right’s effective use of TikTok and historical misinformation mean those concerned with how the Nazi past is presented need to find new tactics to counter their rhetoric.
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Politics
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Rob Vos, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) ; Khalid Siddig, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
There is a high risk of famine in multiple regions of Sudan if immediate action is not taken.
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