Olympic Games Sustainability Calculator
Analyze the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of Olympic Games
Olympic Sustainability Analysis
Select Olympic Games 🏅
🌍 Overall Sustainability Score
Ecological Score
Social Score
Economic Score
🌳 Ecological Dimension Breakdown
👨👩👧👦 Social Dimension Breakdown
💰 Economic Dimension Breakdown
🌍 Environmental Impact
🎯 Olympic Sustainability Model
Three Dimensions of Sustainability
Ecological Dimension
Encompasses the ecological and material footprint of the event, including construction impact, visitor transportation, and event scale.
Social Dimension
Evaluates how the event accommodates host city population needs and impacts on marginalized communities.
Economic Dimension
Measures how effectively funds are used for hosting and the long-term economic impact.
Scoring System
Each indicator is scored on a 0-100 scale where 100 represents the best possible outcome. Dimension scores are calculated by averaging the three indicators, then normalized to contribute equally to the total score.
Sustainability Levels
📈 Historical Analysis
Summer vs Winter Olympics
☀️ Summer Olympics
- • Larger visitor footprint (more attendees)
- • Higher public approval and participation
- • More reusable venues and facilities
- • Greater urban infrastructure impact
❄️ Winter Olympics
- • Smaller visitor footprint (fewer attendees)
- • Less urban infrastructure needed
- • Lower CO₂ emissions generally
- • More specialized venue requirements
Key Insights
Most Sustainable: Salt Lake City 2002 (71/100)
Achieved high scores across all dimensions with excellent public support, minimal displacement, budget efficiency, and extensive use of existing venues.
Least Sustainable: Sochi 2014 (24/100)
$50 billion cost, massive construction in pristine environment, population displacement, and limited venue reusability created major sustainability challenges.
Recent Trends
Recent Olympics show mixed results: Beijing 2022 had lowest CO₂ emissions (1.36 Mt) but struggled with social dimensions. Paris 2024 emphasized existing venues but faced displacement issues.
🏆 Sustainability Rankings
💨 CO₂ Emissions
🎯 Key Success Factors
Use existing venues and infrastructure
Maintain strong public support
Minimize population displacement
Control budget overruns
Plan for venue legacy and reuse
Reduce transportation emissions
🎖️ IOC Goals
Understanding Olympic Sustainability
The Olympic Challenge
Olympic Games represent one of the world's largest sporting events, involving massive infrastructure development, international travel, and resource consumption. Since 1992, the IOC has recognized sustainability as a core pillar alongside sport and culture.
Measurement Framework
The Olympic Sustainability Model by Müller et al. (2021) provides a systematic evaluation across three dimensions, each equally weighted. This comprehensive approach captures the full impact beyond just environmental concerns.
Success Stories & Lessons
Salt Lake City 2002 demonstrates that high sustainability is achievable through careful planning, existing venue utilization, and strong community support. Conversely, Sochi 2014 shows how massive spending and environmental disruption can create lasting negative impacts.
Future Direction
Recent Games show increasing focus on sustainability, with Paris 2024 achieving record-low CO₂ emissions. The IOC's climate-positive goals and emphasis on existing venues signal a shift toward more sustainable Olympic hosting.