Japanese athletes will wear carbon footprint labels to the Olympic Games

Japanese Olympic athletes taking the podium at the Paris Olympics They will have more than just a medal to be proud of: the carbon footprint of their ecological equipment.

Presenting the official kit of the Japanese team today, Asics said that The jackets, pants and other clothing that the athletes will wear on the podium and at press conferences will be stamped with the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during their production, in a nod to the ecological objectives proposed by the host city.

The jacket of the team’s warm-up suit shows 8.8 kg of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) emitted in its production, while the pants show 5.5 kg of CO2e.

“The Paris Games are billed as the most sustainable event in Olympic history, so we’ve stuck to that concept,” said Makoto Ohori, director of apparel and equipment development at Asics.

The Tokyo-based company said it had reduced emissions from official kits by 34% compared to the Tokyo Games, using recycled and lighter materials as well as renewable energy at its factory in Japan.

Showcasing green credentials has become a mandatory part of the recent Games, but the Paris goal is the most ambitious yet: halving the carbon footprint compared to the average of 3.5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions from the previous Summer Olympic Games.

“By calculating the carbon footprint of each item and labeling it on products, we hope to increase transparency and environmental awareness among athletes,” said Asics’ Ohori.

United Nations scientists say it is essential to halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, in order to stop the increase in average temperature by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The international body’s climate chief declared this month that the world has two years to take measures to prevent much worse climate change.