On February 26th, it was reported by domestic media that, compared to the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics, the goal for the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics is to halve carbon dioxide emissions.
To achieve this objective, one of the measures taken by the Paris Organizing Committee for the summer is to construct an athlete village without air conditioning.
However, the decision not to install air conditioning in the Paris Olympic Village hasn't been universally accepted by all countries. Several nations have already announced their intention to bring their own air conditioning units for their athletes competing in Paris.
The Greek delegation has stated that they will bring portable air conditioning units for their athletes during the Paris Olympics. Australia and Ireland are also planning to provide air conditioning for their athletes.
It is understood that the climate across the European continent is generally mild, with summer temperatures averaging just over 20 degrees Celsius, and temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius being rare. Additionally, there are less than a month of hot weather annually.
However, the 2024 Paris Olympics are scheduled to take place from July 26th to August 11th, covering Europe's hottest period. In recent years, there has been an increase in extreme heatwave occurrences. As of now, whether air conditioning will be necessary during the Olympics remains uncertain.
Furthermore, the reluctance to install air conditioning for the Paris Olympics is also related to Europe's unique geography and consumption patterns.
With a mild climate and fewer extreme heatwaves, there is less demand for air conditioning in Europe. Additionally, both the sale and installation costs of air conditioning are prohibitively high.
For example, the cost of installing air conditioning in a 100-square-meter house in France can reach $10,000, several times more expensive than the unit itself.
As a result, Europeans are not particularly fond of air conditioning, especially in temporary residences like the Olympic Village, where the willingness to install air conditioning is even lower.
