The environmentally friendly Games that transformed a city
Lillehammer’s efforts were seen as pioneering in terms of taking an environmental approach to the Olympic Games. They would set the tone for future events, and benefit the international positioning of Norway.
The first two pillars of Olympism were already well established: sport and culture. In 1994, 98 years after the first modern Olympic Games, a third official pillar was added: the environment.
Lillehammer 1994 were the first Games to showcase environmental practices as part of their organisation for the city and the region. Respect for the environment was central to the Games. The Lillehammer Olympic Organising Committee (LOOC) and its local stakeholders saw that sport had the chance to set new environmental requirements for all the parties involved in the organisation of future Games.
It set out five ambitious “green goals” for Lillehammer 1994: to create environmental awareness; to take regional considerations into account; to create sustainable development and business growth; to take environmental considerations into account in the construction of venues; and to uphold environmental standards at all stages of the event.
More than 20 sustainability projects were initiated during Games preparations to achieve this. Waste management and wildlife protection were all carefully considered, and air and water quality was monitored across the entire Olympic region. Children and previous Olympic medallists planted Olympic forests around the country, and information about the environmental efforts of the Committee was promoted at the Main Press Centre.
The speed skating arena was relocated to Hamar, where environmental factors were taken into account. The design, that of an overturned ship, reflected the site’s location, an 11thcentury Viking boatyard, and it was located strategically and blended into the surrounding scenery, so that it did not interfere with a nearby sanctuary for rare birds.
The construction of the underground ice hockey venue, the Gjøvik Cavern Hall, was undertaken with sustainability in mind. It saved using valuable town centre space, and the rock excavated from the site was re-used to construct a harbour, promenade and parking terminal in the town.
Once finished, the Cavern Hall was eco-friendly. Located inside a mountain, it has stable, year-round temperatures, meaning its energy consumption is significantly less than a conventional ice hall. An advanced energy system tracks consumption, so that a minimum is wasted.
Sustainable practices such as efficient waste management were also adopted at all the venues, and were strengthened after the Games as all the venues remained in use. This has led to all the venues at Lillehammer Olympiapark now being certified to a Norwegian standard, Eco-Lighthouse.
Local schools were given Olympic-related material on environmental work as part of the “Olympic Games at home” education programme, while the Norwegian Broadcasting Company made a specific TV programme on the topic.
Several environmental initiatives were also introduced during the Games. More than 80 per cent of the transport to and from Lillehammer during Games time was by bus or train. Waste was reduced by having suppliers meet stringent environmental requirements. Plates and eating utensils were biodegradable; medals were made primarily from natural stone; and 70 per cent of the information signs were made from recycled paper.
All these efforts won much praise and boosted the international positioning of Norway. Juan Antonio Samaranch, IOC President at that time, dubbed Lillehammer 1994 the “White-Green Games”. Lillehammer 1994 conveyed to visitors and observers key values such as respect for the environment and the hospitality of the local people. It helped to show Norway as an environmentally progressive state.
The long-term benefits of these green goals, and the increased environmental awareness of the Norwegian population, are still apparent. Studies conducted between 1991 and 1994 showed that the hosting of the Games changed perspectives both locally and nationally. Only 50 per cent of Norwegians had been in favour of hosting the Games beforehand. By the time the Games were over, 80 per cent of people nationally, and 88 per cent of those in the region, believed it had been a good idea.
During the planning of the Lillehammer 2016 Winter YOG, the Organising Committee liaised with local companies that had been involved in the 1994 environmental initiatives, such as waste management, and benefitted from their experience.
Lillehammer was the first edition to successfully embrace the concept of robust environmental practice, creating a template for future Games. Today, sustainability is a core requirement for every Olympic Games edition.