Olympic Games Carbon Footprint Calculator

million
km
kg CO₂/km
Ecology

The Olympic Games Carbon Footprint Calculator estimates the CO₂ from spectator travel to a major event from the number of spectators and their average round-trip distance. Enter the figures.

Formula

CO₂ = Spectators × Average Distance × Emission Factor
  • Spectator travel is often the single largest source of a mega-event's footprint.
  • The default 0.15 kg CO₂/km is a rough average across transport modes.

3M spectators, 2,000 km

Inputs
  • Spectators: 3 million
  • Average Round-Trip Distance: 2000 km
  • Emission Factor: 0.15 kg CO₂/km

3,000,000 × 2,000 × 0.15 = 900,000 tonnes of CO₂.

Frequently asked questions

What drives an event's carbon footprint?
Spectator and team travel usually dominate, which is why distance and mode of transport matter most.