After the Games is before the Games
The French people were not involved in the planning of the 2030 Winter Olympics. Environmental organisations are mobilising for public participation and sustainable Games. Meanwhile, Switzerland is preparing its Olympic bid for 2038.
The population in the French Alpine regions has had no opportunity to get involved in the bid to date. That is why, in autumn 2025, several environmental organisations, including Mountain Wilderness France, lodged a complaint with the United Nations Aarhus Committee. According to the Aarhus Convention, the public must be involved in decisions with significant environmental implications. The complaint by the environmental organisations was declared admissible: France is now obliged to explain itself before the committee. The Marseille Administrative Court already ruled in favour of the complainants on 26 January 2026. The court reaffirms the legal obligation to inform and involve the public in infrastructure projects related to the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics in the French Alps.
In response to the lack of participation to date, Protect Our Winters France founded the first Olympic Citizens’ Convention, which developed concrete proposals for sustainable Games with long-term benefits for the country. These were published at the end of 2025 and presented to the relevant political representatives. Furthermore, a draft law on the organisation of the 2030 Olympic Games is being discussed and is due to be passed at the beginning of February. Various organisations are mobilising against the derogation of environmental protection laws. The Italian network Open Olympics, founded on the occasion of the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, wishes to contribute its experience.
2038 Winter Games in Switzerland?
Switzerland is in “privileged dialogue” with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as a potential venue for the 2038 Winter Olympics. After the last three bids failed in cantonal referendums, Swiss Olympic is changing its tactics. The competitions are to be held in all four language regions, and the population will not be able to vote on the matter. Swiss Olympic promises that existing facilities will be used and that the Games will be held in a sustainable manner. Similar promises were made in the run-up to Milan-Cortina 2026 – but were not kept.
Sources and further information:
www.lemonde.fr/sport/article/2026/01/13/jo-2030-l-assemblee-adopte-la-loi-olympique-renvoyee-a-un-compromis-entre-deputes-et-senateurs_6662065_3242.html (fr), protectourwinters.fr/cco-convention-citoyenne-olympique/ (fr), www.mountainwilderness.fr/communiques-de-presse/aarhus-jop2030 (fr), agir.greenvoice.fr/petitions/jo-2030-nos-montagnes-notre-climat-notre-argent-notre-droit-a-decider (fr), www.mountainwilderness.fr/communiques-de-presse/jop-2030-jugement-tribunal-marseille (fr), https://marseille.tribunal-administratif.fr/Media/mediatheque-ta-marseille/documents/2026/janvier/2514726-jo-2030 (fr), www.news.admin.ch/de/newnsb/LYIvuINaw6txEQXSOCFC5 (de, it, fr) ; www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/projekt-switzerland-2038-wie-realistisch-sind-die-schweizer-olympia-plaene-2038 (de)
Further information
