The Paris Olympics opened on July 26. As the host country, France declared its intention to hold the greenest and least carbon-emitting Olympics in history, undertaking many bold initiatives that no previous Olympics had ever attempted. Along with the high level of attention came numerous issues. Even before the Games began, topics such as the lack of air conditioning in the athletes’ village and water quality concerns in the Seine River sparked ongoing debates domestically. In fact, all these controversies could have been avoided if France had not set such an ambitious goal to host the most environmentally friendly Olympics ever. Had they compromised more moderately, there would have been nothing to criticize. However, the fact that France willingly took on this challenge is highly meaningful because it has clearly raised the standard for what a green Olympics can be.
We spoke with Ludovic Guillot, Minister-Counselor at the French Embassy in South Korea and Director of the French Cultural Center, to learn what the French government wants to emphasize regarding the sustainability of the 2024 Paris Olympics and how they view some of the controversies surrounding the event. The interview took place on July 29 at a French café in Seoul.
▶ Interview Video https://youtu.be/_X9GDEpiXTA?si=k3YUVyd-bnca2HuP
▶ Read the full interview on the blog http://rics.re.kr/archives/9663
▶ Interview Sequence
- 3:56 Self-introduction
- 4:47 What are the three most impressive sustainability measures of the Paris Olympics?
- 7:10 Sustainability of the “Olympic Aquatic Centre,” the only newly built venue of the Paris Olympics
- 9:35 How should we view the controversy surrounding the Seine River water purification?
- 12:30 What measures are being taken to encourage carbon-neutral participation among spectators?
- 14:30 What are your thoughts on the responsibilities that fall on the next Olympic host country?
- 15:26 If you had to describe the Paris Olympics in one word, what would it be?
- 17:15 Why should the Olympics not be stopped even though they emit carbon? 하는 이유는?
