Olympic Games Sustainability Calculator

Evaluate the sustainability of Olympic Games across three key dimensions: ecological, social, and economic. This calculator helps you understand the environmental impact and sustainability measures of different Olympic events.

Understanding Olympic Sustainability

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has included sustainability as the Olympics’s third dimension since 1992. The Olympic Sustainability Model evaluates games across three main dimensions:

1. Ecological Dimension

Measures the environmental footprint of the event:

• New Construction: Resources for building/renovating venues
• Event Size: Number of accredited persons
• Visitor Footprint: Transportation and accommodation impact

2. Social Dimension

Evaluates the impact on host communities:

• Public Approval: Local support for the event
• Social Safety: Displacement of residents
• Rule of Law: Changes in legislation and regulations

3. Economic Dimension

Assesses financial efficiency:

• Budget Balance: Cost overruns and financial management
• Financial Exposure: Public funding allocation
• Long-term Viability: Reusability of venues

How the Calculator Works

The sustainability score is calculated on a 0-100 scale:

• 100 indicates the best possible outcome
• 0 indicates the worst possible outcome

Each dimension is evaluated separately and then normalized to create a final score:

1. Calculate average scores for each dimension
2. Normalize results (maximum total score is 100)
3. Sum the normalized dimension scores

Understanding Your Results

The calculator provides:

• Individual scores for each dimension
• Total sustainability score
• Comparison with other Olympic Games
• Estimated CO2 emissions

Score Interpretation

• 75-100: Excellent sustainability practices
• 50-74: Good sustainability measures
• 25-49: Moderate sustainability concerns
• 0-24: Significant sustainability issues

Formula

The sustainability score is calculated using this formula:

$Total Score = \frac{E + S + F}{3}$

Where:

• $E$ = Ecological score (0-100)
• $S$ = Social score (0-100)
• $F$ = Financial/Economic score (0-100)

For each dimension:

$Dimension Score = \frac{\sum_{i=1}^{n} Criteria_i}{n}$

Where:

• $Criteria_i$ = Individual criteria scores (0-100)
• $n$ = Number of criteria in the dimension

Historical Performance

Notable Olympic Games sustainability scores:

1. Salt Lake City 2002: 71/100 (Most sustainable)
2. Barcelona 1992: 55.56/100
3. Albertville 1992: 53.33/100
4. PyeongChang 2018: 53.33/100
5. Paris 2024: 40/100
6. Sochi 2014: 24.44/100 (Least sustainable)

Improving Olympic Sustainability

Key strategies for more sustainable Olympic Games:

1. Control visitor numbers and event size
2. Reuse existing venues and infrastructure
3. Prioritize public transportation
4. Implement renewable energy solutions
5. Protect local communities from displacement
6. Ensure long-term venue viability

References

1. Müller et al. (2021): “An evaluation of the sustainability of the Olympic Games”
2. International Olympic Committee Sustainability Strategy (2017)
3. Olympic Games Impact Studies (various years)