Follow the latest news on the 2024 Paris Olympics
At a Paris water fountain, Marcel, 11, ducks his baseball cap in water before adjusting it back on his head.
After days of heavy rain that blighted the opening ceremony and wrecked the triathlon, a heatwave has now hit the French capital as temperatures reach a sweltering 38°C in the sun.
“I feel refreshed,” says Marcel, but his father Vincent, 47, spares a thought for the athletes competing at the Olympic Games throughout the city. “It must be hard for them,” he says.
Paris 2024 organisers have been warned athletes will be at risk if France swelters in the extreme heat it has endured in recent years, as climate change throws the Olympic summer rhythm into doubt.
The hosts are banking on tents, fans and an 8am marathon to keep people cool in the French capital, which has had two red-alert heatwaves in the past five summers.
Tokyo 2020 was described as the hottest Olympics ever and world athletics bosses were warned in a recent report, Rings of Fire, that Paris “has the potential to surpass that” after setting a 42.6°C heat record in 2019.
Thermal physiologist Mike Tipton, one of the report's authors, told The National that the ideal temperature for events such as the triathlon, marathon and race walking is a far milder 11°C.
“Elite athletes can manage into the 20s, but because of climate change we’ve got something like a five to six times increased likelihood of a heatwave during the Olympics,” said Prof Tipton, who has advised Britain's Royal Air Force on survival in extreme conditions.
“If it’s like it was a couple of years ago in Paris, it could be low 40s. That’s in the area where the recommendation is 'don’t do the activity'.”
Officials and spectators could also be at risk, while ultra-competitive elite athletes may try to push through the pain at temperatures that mean their bodies struggle to lose heat, said the University of Portsmouth professor.
“You and I, if we go for a run in the heat, will get hot and we’ll start to get a drive to reduce our exercise and even stop. Elite athletes override that and they’re the ones who are likely to run to the point of collapse,” he said.
“We also see it in things like Special Forces selection. We’ve seen people lose their lives.”
Heat island
Meteorologists warn that densely-built Paris is a ‘heat island’ that can be as much as 10°C warmer than surrounding rural areas. A heatwave red alert was triggered in 2019 and 2020.
Paris 2024 organisers have war-gamed four extreme weather scenarios involving heatwaves, rain, drought and air pollution, with contingency plans for each sport. Events could be postponed if safety thresholds are crossed.
The city has also installed 1,400 “points of freshness” with water fountains, shaded areas and water mist.
Organising massive sports events is an attractive prospect for cities to generate income but it has also become a challenge due to pollution and climate change, former Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson, whose city hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics, told The National.
Host cities like Paris are increasingly using the Games to accelerate pledges to reduce air pollution and become more liveable for its residents.
Speaking in Paris at a recent meeting of eco-minded mayors from roughly 100 cities, Mr Robertson said that hosting the Olympic Games was a “win-win for the city”.
“It's very important to use major events like the Olympics to advance our most important goals around sustainability, human rights and liveable cities,” said Mr Robertson, who oversaw the Games described at the time as the greenest ever.
The organisers of the Paris 2024 Summer Games said they will emit 50 per cent less emissions than the London 2012 Games.
Having pledged a green legacy, they face what is known as the ‘cooling dilemma’ in which power-hungry air conditioners can ease the effects of global warming but drive it on at the same time.
The most powerful air con will be reserved for “strictly necessary spaces” and fans used where possible. The hosts say it is “no longer possible” to hold the Olympics “while ignoring the immense challenge posed by climate change”.
It appeared that many delegations were unconvinced as they ordered about 2,500 temporary cooling units at their own expense. Their main concern appeared to be missing sleep because of the heat.
Sydney 2000 took place in September, and the Qatar World Cup in men’s football was moved to winter. But the next two Olympics, in Los Angeles in 2028 and Brisbane in 2032, are in the usual July and August slot.
Climate change has also led to ski slopes drying up, coastal sailing clubs disappearing and cricket and tennis dealing with drought and wildfires.
Olympic future
Madeleine Orr, an author who has worked with the UN and sporting bodies on climate change, has argued for a smaller Olympics with a lower carbon footprint.
In a recent interview with The National she suggested reducing Olympic crowds to below 10,000, with most tickets going to locals, giving smaller host cities a chance.
“It’ll be fun, and the rest of us can watch from home – and most of the world does. No one’s ever blinked at the fact that poor people can’t travel to the Olympics,” she said.
Scientists have even warned that the Paris Summer Games may be the last to be held during the summer months as temperatures rise. But the idea is difficult to fathom for diehard fans who have travelled to France from far away to attend the Games.
“This is the time of year that people are on holiday, so they have the chance to come with their families and children,” said Marlon, a 60-year old tourist Brazilian tourist in Paris who lives in Norway. “There's not much we can do about climate change. We have to adapt.”
An alternative that might come into play would be for athletes to be monitored by wearable tech, possibly allowing officials to step in for their safety, said Prof Tipton.
He said tinkering around the edges of Olympic rules, for example with extra water breaks in tennis, may not be enough when heatwaves become ever more likely.
“They’re going to come more frequently, be longer-lasting and more intense. If the probability of that goes up and up and up, you’re going to have to start thinking about moving to different places, different times of the year,” he said.
“Your probability of harming someone, or diminishing the spectacle too much is going to be too high.”
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At a glance - Zayed Sustainability Prize 2020
Launched: 2008
Categories: Health, energy, water, food, global high schools
Prize: Dh2.2 million (Dh360,000 for global high schools category)
Winners’ announcement: Monday, January 13
Impact in numbers
335 million people positively impacted by projects
430,000 jobs created
10 million people given access to clean and affordable drinking water
50 million homes powered by renewable energy
6.5 billion litres of water saved
26 million school children given solar lighting
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
Director: Romany Saad
Starring: Mirfat Amin, Boumi Fouad and Tariq Al Ibyari
Company%20profile
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
SPECS
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
South Africa v India schedule
Tests: 1st Test Jan 5-9, Cape Town; 2nd Test Jan 13-17, Centurion; 3rd Test Jan 24-28, Johannesburg
ODIs: 1st ODI Feb 1, Durban; 2nd ODI Feb 4, Centurion; 3rd ODI Feb 7, Cape Town; 4th ODI Feb 10, Johannesburg; 5th ODI Feb 13, Port Elizabeth; 6th ODI Feb 16, Centurion
T20Is: 1st T20I Feb 18, Johannesburg; 2nd T20I Feb 21, Centurion; 3rd T20I Feb 24, Cape Town
RESULTS
Bantamweight
Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK)
(Split decision)
Featherweight
Hussein Salim (IRQ) beat Shakhriyor Juraev (UZB)
(Round 1 submission, armbar)
Catchweight 80kg
Rashed Dawood (UAE) beat Otabek Kadirov (UZB)
(Round-1 submission, rear naked choke)
Lightweight
Ho Taek-oh (KOR) beat Ronald Girones (CUB)
(Round 3 submission, triangle choke)
Lightweight
Arthur Zaynukov (RUS) beat Damien Lapilus (FRA)
(Unanimous points)
Bantamweight
Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (RUS)
(Round 1 TKO)
Featherweight
Movlid Khaybulaev (RUS) v Zaka Fatullazade (AZE)
(Round 1 rear naked choke)
Flyweight
Shannon Ross (TUR) beat Donovon Freelow (USA)
(Unanimous decision)
Lightweight
Dan Collins (GBR) beat Mohammad Yahya (UAE)
(Round 2 submission D’arce choke)
Catchweight 73kg
Martun Mezhulmyan (ARM) beat Islam Mamedov (RUS)
(Round 3 submission, kneebar)
Bantamweight world title
Xavier Alaoui (MAR) beat Jaures Dea (CAM)
(Unanimous points 48-46, 49-45, 49-45)
Flyweight world title
Manon Fiorot (FRA) v Gabriela Campo (ARG)
(Round 1 RSC)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Profile box
Founders: Michele Ferrario, Nino Ulsamer and Freddy Lim
Started: established in 2016 and launched in July 2017
Based: Singapore, with offices in the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Thailand
Sector: FinTech, wealth management
Initial investment: $500,000 in seed round 1 in 2016; $2.2m in seed round 2 in 2017; $5m in series A round in 2018; $12m in series B round in 2019; $16m in series C round in 2020 and $25m in series D round in 2021
Current staff: more than 160 employees
Stage: series D
Investors: EightRoads Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Sequoia Capital India
The stats
Ship name: MSC Bellissima
Ship class: Meraviglia Class
Delivery date: February 27, 2019
Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT
Passenger capacity: 5,686
Crew members: 1,536
Number of cabins: 2,217
Length: 315.3 metres
Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
More on Yemen's civil war
Elvis
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Results
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1hr 32mins 03.897sec
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull-Honda) at 0.745s
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 37.383s
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 46.466s
5.Sergio Perez (Red Bull-Honda) 52.047s
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 59.090s
7. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) 1:06.004
8. Carlos Sainz Jr (Ferrari) 1:07.100
9. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri-Honda) 1:25.692
10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:26.713,
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
