| Résumé: |
Mega-events like the Olympic Games face widespread criticism for their environmental impact, driven by infrastructure, resource use, and travel. Despite the IOC’s sustainability initiatives since the 1990s, including the 2017 Sustainability Strategy and Agenda 2020, research shows limited results, with environmental scores declining over time. These policies remain recommendations rather than obligations, leading to accusations of greenwashing and unmet commitments. The lack of standardized environmental assessments underscores the gap between sustainability goals and actual outcomes.
This study explores the evolution and effectiveness of Olympic sustainability policies using the policy mobility framework, which examines how policies circulate, adapt, and apply in different contexts. Unlike state-centric approaches, policy mobility emphasizes non-state actors, global networks, and informal knowledge exchanges. In the Olympic Games, this process influences sustainability efforts but often leads to superficial commitments rather than concrete action.
The research employs content and discourse analysis of IOC documents alongside interviews with key stakeholders. It analyzes the Olympic Games' carbon footprint, focusing on Paris 2024’s sustainability policies. While organizers pledged to halve emissions and achieve a “positive climate impact”, vague methodologies reveal gaps between ambition and execution.
Despite efforts like Olympic Agenda 2020+5, weak accountability frameworks and voluntary reporting limit enforceability. While policy mobility enables knowledge-sharing, local political, economic, and cultural differences often hinder effective implementation, making standardized sustainability measures difficult to achieve. |
Mémoire [1.8 Mo]