Enhancing urban environmental sustainability with the hosting of Olympic Games: reality or dream?
Author
Wouts, Marie Annick Monique
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2020
Pages
83
Abstract
Denne afhandling undersøger, om værtskabet for de Olympiske Lege kan styrke byers miljømæssige bæredygtighed, eller om det forbliver et uforløst ideal. Gennem en gennemgang af de bæredygtighedsværktøjer, som arrangørerne anvender, viser studiet, at de nok introducerer nye praksisser, men at metodiske begrænsninger og mangel på klare retningslinjer svækker deres indflydelse på beslutninger og ikke sikrer bæredygtige Lege. For at forstå dynamikkerne mere indgående fokuserer afhandlingen på vandområdet og gennemfører et multi-case-studie af Beijing 2008, London 2012 og Rio 2016, struktureret med DPSIR-rammen (Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response). Tiltag relateret til vandkvalitet, vandtilgængelighed og klimaændringer kortlægges, og deres effektivitet overvejes. På dette grundlag anbefales initiativer til organisationskomitéer og Den Internationale Olympiske Komité, herunder fastlæggelse af konkrete bæredygtighedskrav og offentliggørelse af kvantitative miljødata for at styrke gennemsigtigheden. Overordnet kan OL fungere som katalysator for moderne vandinfrastruktur, accelerere eksisterende bæredygtighedsplaner og fungere som et innovationslaboratorium, med visse erfaringer overførbare til andre områder som transport og energi; men gevinsterne begrænses af fejlstyring og andre prioriteringer. Afhandlingen konkluderer, at en mere gennemsigtig og substantiel integration af miljømæssig bæredygtighed i hele OL-bevægelsens praksisser er nødvendig for at realisere Legenes potentiale som løftestang for urban bæredygtighed.
This thesis examines whether hosting the Olympic Games can enhance urban environmental sustainability or whether that ambition remains aspirational. Reviewing the sustainability assessment tools used by organizers shows that, while they introduce new practices, methodological limitations and a lack of clear guidance constrain their influence on decisions and do not ensure sustainable Games. To probe the dynamics in depth, the study focuses on the water sector and conducts a multi-case analysis of Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016, structured by the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework. Responses related to water quality, water availability and climate change are mapped and their effectiveness considered. On this basis, the thesis recommends initiatives for organizing committees and the International Olympic Committee, including setting specific sustainability requirements and publishing quantitative environmental data to strengthen transparency. Overall, the Olympics can act as a catalyst for modern water infrastructure, accelerate existing sustainability plans and serve as an innovation laboratory, with some lessons transferable to other domains such as transport and energy; however, benefits are constrained by mismanagement and competing priorities. The study concludes that more transparent and substantive integration of environmental sustainability across Olympic practices is needed to realize the Games’ potential as a lever for urban sustainability.
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Keywords
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