Tokyo 2020 Olympics sustainability: An elusive concept or reality?

Abstract

The Olympic Games continue to be a creator of adverse environmental impacts for host communities. Given the role that the Olympic Games play in sustainability due to their size, the number of people attending, new construction and infrastructure, and the extensive exposure by the media, this study investigated the Tokyo 2020 Games by evaluating the efficacy of their ecological sustainability efforts. Methods for this study were framed by the conceptual model of Müller et al. Specifically, the model is grounded on the three general aspects of sustainability: ecological, social, and economic. Compared to all Olympic events from 1992 through 2020, results from the present research indicated that Tokyo 2020 Olympics may have been the most ecologically friendly Games. This ecological record is significant, but it may be an unrealistic benchmark, given that the lack of attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced much of the ecological sustainability scores.

Towards a Holistic Framework for the Olympic-Led Sustainable Urban Planning Process

“…In sum and regarding the guiding research question, it is now evident that despite initial aspirations for a more sustainable and inclusive city, the practical outcomes of hosting the Games did not adequately address the fundamental urban challenges and the needs of Rio's residents. Despite promising sustainable development, there was a significant disconnection between promises and achievements [33,93]. As emphasized by Wade [91], the Rio Games were largely marked by scandals and left the city starkly divided between rich and poor, much as it was with only a few cosmetic changes.…”

“…Sustainability is a primary objective of the Olympics overseen by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Given the extensive scale and impacts of the Olympics, the IOC advocates for sustainability initiatives to enhance positive outcomes and minimize negative consequences associated with hosting such mega-events [33]. The IOC has embraced the concept that investments made by host cities in Olympic infrastructure should be regarded as integral components of a broader urban agenda.…”

“…Sustainability compliance: Ensuring sustainability is a crucial aspect of mega-events [69] and a specific goal outlined in the Olympic Agenda 2020 managed by the IOC, aimed at enhancing the sustainability of the Games [33,61]. Sustainable practices involve integrating environmentally friendly and socially responsible measures into various aspects of hosting the Olympics, such as ethical behavior, accountability, transparency, community and local stakeholder engagement, and inclusivity.…”

“…These principles encompass critical issues like climate change, waste management, biodiversity protection, energy efficiency, provision of green spaces, legacy planning, and promoting healthy living, among others [70]. Despite the IOC's emphasis on environmental sustainability for more than two decades, the Olympics have faced repeated criticism for not effectively addressing the negative environmental impact of these events [31,33,70].…”

Transforming “white elephants” into positive legacies for cities: An assessment of the sustainability of winter Olympic venues and its implications

“…Scholars are dedicated to studying the tangible/intangible impact of the Olympics, or to analyzing the performance of the Olympics from three dimensions (Weiler & Mohan, 2010), namely ecology (Cao et al, 2013; De Conto & Pereira, 2014), society (Baumann et al, 2010; Minnaert, 2012; Miyoshi & Sasaki, 2016), and economy (Porter & Fletcher, 2008; Preuss, 2004; Scandizzo & Pierleoni, 2018). Some scholars have built up models to evaluate and compare the sustainability of the Olympic Games (Müller et al, 2021; Trendafilova et al, 2022). Müller et al (2021) assessed the sustainability of all Olympic events between 1992 and 2020 and the result showed that the sustainability of most of the Games was weak.…”