This is the conclusion of a study in the specialist magazine “NPJ Climate and Atmospheric Science”, which was recently discussed in the French media. The organizers assure that they are prepared.
The French ecology magazine “Reporterre” thought about the topic last summer. “Olympics 2024: What if the heat wave spoils the festival?” was the title of an article that recalled inglorious scenes during the Olympic Games in Tokyo, when temperatures over 30 degrees and humidity of over 80 percent caused tennis players to collapse made the soles of the beach volleyball players’ feet glow. It was said that the dense development of Paris turns the city into a “giant radiator” at night in summer.
“There is an optimal temperature for physical exertion”
“There is an optimal temperature for physical exertion, which varies from person to person,” the magazine quoted Geoffroy Berthelot, a researcher at the Institut National du Sport, de l’Expertise et de la Performance (INSEP), as saying. For an intensive and longer activity such as a marathon, the optimal temperature is around ten degrees, for shorter efforts such as sprints it is around 23 degrees. “As soon as temperatures move away from this, the risk of demolitions and accidents increases.” Even back then, it was discussed whether it was absolutely necessary to hold the Olympic Games in midsummer.
In 2003, over 10,000 people died in France at the beginning of August in an unprecedented heat wave in which there was hardly any cooling down, even at night. A cold store for food in the Paris suburb of Rungis had to be converted into a mortuary. “We find that the 2003 record in the Île-de-France can be exceeded by more than four degrees by 2050 if a combination of anticyclonic conditions and isolated low-pressure areas prevails,” the authors summarize their title in November “Ensembles of climate simulations to predict the worst possible heat waves during the 2024 Paris Olympics” study published in “NPJ Climate and Atmospheric Science.”
Risk assessment of extreme heat waves
“This study is not a forecast for July-August 2024 in Paris, but a risk assessment of extreme heat waves in a changing climate,” the authors specify. “It aims to raise awareness of these unprecedented events for which our society is ill-prepared, despite the adaptation measures developed as a result of previous events.”
The Olympic organizers don’t want to let that slide. “The heat and the weather in general are among the well-identified risks, and have been since the bidding phase,” Lambis Konstantinidis, executive director of planning and coordination at the organizing committee, recently told the daily Le Monde. From the beginning of July, Paris 2024 will work closely with Météo France: “There will be twice-daily meetings so that credible forecasts can be made ten days before a competition in order to make possible changes.” Both the Games in Rio de Janeiro 2016 and in Tokyo 2021 were not completely canceled due to the heat, but there were postponements of competitions.
Temperature thresholds
In order to be prepared, temperature thresholds were set in advance with all international sports associations. But it’s not just outdoor sports that are affected. The fencing and taekwondo competitions in the Grand Palais were specially scheduled in the morning and evening to reduce the greenhouse effect of the glass roof of the newly renovated historic building. Only a few sports facilities are air-conditioned. It’s not the Olympic Village. For sustainability reasons, the decision was made during planning not to rely on energy-guzzling air conditioning systems, but rather on natural building cooling. “The temperature will be at least six degrees lower than outdoors,” explained Konstantinidis. However, delegations are free to install air conditioning units – at their own expense. Australia and Greece are said to already be planning to do this.
Viewers should also be informed when particularly high temperatures are expected and should be reminded to drink enough fluids or apply sunscreen. Shade areas and water dispensers in the vicinity of the event venues should ensure that waiting for venues to open can be as pleasant as possible, even in midsummer. So that a possible heat wave “doesn’t spoil the festival”.
