Paris 2024 Partners With World Wildlife Fund

Paris 2024 has formed Tuesday a strategic partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in France to ensure the bid and the city’s Games Plan implements best practice in sustainability to deliver a Games that changes behaviours and encourages a responsible approach to environmental issues.

The alliance was signed by bid Co-Chairmen Bernard Lapasset and Tony Estanguet, who is also a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Sustainability and Legacy Commission – and WWF France President Isabelle Autissier.

The partnership is in line with the sustainability practices set out in the IOC’s Agenda 2020 vision and supports the ambition for Paris 2024 to become a `”laboratory of innovations” leading the way in the reinvention of the city.

Autissier will also chair the new Paris 2024 Committee for Environmental Excellence which will further integrate green initiatives and sustainable innovations into the bid project.  Further details of the committee will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

Estanguet said “sustainable development has been at the heart of our campaign since the very beginning.  This is not just a box ticking exercise; it is the very DNA of the bid we are building with our athletes and partners.  The agreement with WWF France will allow us to deliver a project integrating new infrastructure with temporary and existing venues with a sharp focus on renewable energy, sustainable mobility, food and waste management, and preservation of biodiversity”.

Autissier added, “based on the experience of WWF UK at London 2012, we know that the Games are a unique opportunity to accelerate change in favour of lifesyles involving better living and sustainability.

“The Paris 2024 bid committee shares our ambitious vision.  That`s why I agreed, as President of WWF France, to chairing the Paris 2024 Committee for Environmental Excellence.  Our mission is to ensure that the environmental ambition of the Paris 2024 bid is translated into concrete actions and innovative solutions for the benefit of all.  This is an essential criterion for support.”

Paris is competing for the 2024 Games with Los Angeles, Budapest and Rome.  A decision on the host city will be made in September 2017.