Marion Thénault shares lessons learned about journey to carbon neutrality and other actions for sustainability

For two years now, freestyle skier Marion Thénault has been pursuing her quest for carbon neutrality, while aiming to take part in her second Olympic Games at Milano Cortina 2026.

READ: Staying carbon neutral on the road to the Olympics: a welcome challenge for Marion Thénault

READ: Marion Thénault shares updates on her carbon neutrality journey

Last year, for a second consecutive competitive season, she carried out a carbon footprint assessment with the help of specialists from WSP. For 2023-24, this assessment indicated a 40% reduction in her carbon emissions.

While encouraging, these results also highlighted the difficulty of comparing data from one season to the next. “Every season is different,” says Thénault. “Last winter, I suffered an injury that meant I missed a segment of the World Cup circuit. So I didn’t travel as much.”

Far from jeopardizing the smooth running of the project, this finding led to the conclusion that it makes more sense to quantify the impact of the changes she is making to her travel habits than to compare her carbon emissions from one season to the next.

For years three and four of her project, the exercise now consists of comparing her carbon footprint with a reference value calculated on the basis of what would have been generated by a person taking no specific action to reduce their carbon emissions.

“For example, next season we have two weeks between two World Cups. I won’t be returning home between these competitions, but the reference value includes the carbon emissions generated if I had returned home. In the same vein, we’re going to measure the impact of the changes I’ve made to my local travel by comparing the emissions emitted by my journeys to my training venue by electric bike with those emitted if I’d gone by car”, explains the athlete whose training center is located at Lac-Beauport, near Quebec City.

“The aim is to measure the impact of the changes I’ve made against the reference value, which represents what most people would do.”

Unsurprisingly, during the second season of data taking, it was once again air travel that contributed most to her carbon footprint. “Eighty-six per cent of my carbon emissions are due to air travel. If we want to reduce air travel, we need to change the competition schedule.”

That’s why, last June, she contacted the head of sustainable development at FIS, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation.  

“I told them about my project, my initiative. Could the data I collect influence the competition schedule?”

 The federation having shown an interest in her project, she and her team of specialists will present a report at the end of the season quantifying the emissions linked to the air transport of athletes in her discipline of aerials.

“The goal is for the report to make its way to the FIS committee responsible for developing the competition schedule, and for the latter to be able to take carbon emissions into account and minimize air travel.”

According to Thénault, optimizing the competition schedule to minimize air travel is one of the best ways to reduce the carbon footprint of athletes competing on the various circuits.

While federations have a major influence on the calendar, and therefore on the travel required to take part in competitions, Thénault believes that it is vital for athletes to make their voices heard on the importance of minimizing the carbon footprint generated by the practice of their sport.

“Everyone, athletes and federations alike, must take a share of responsibility when it comes to sustainable development.”

To prepare this report for the FIS, the intention is to collect data concerning the air travel of all competitors on the circuit.

“We need to make data collection as simple as possible for athletes and organizations, and communicate well. I don’t know if it’s going to work, it’s a trial,” explains the Olympic bronze medallist, who admits that while many athletes are aware of sustainable development, not everyone is as motivated as she is to collect data that can be complex and time-consuming.

In addition to measuring her carbon footprint with WSP Canada and standardizing the air travel quantification process so that it can be applied to other athletes, Thénault is also working with organizers of the FIS World Cup event at Le Relais ski resort.   

“I want to make events more eco-responsible. I’ve put forward the idea of joining the organizing committee for this World Cup, which is taking place at home, to bring the perspective of taking into account the environmental footprint of the event.”

To support her efforts, she has been awarded an OLY Canada Legacy Grant in 2023 and 2024.

Initiatives implemented during the World Cup at Le Relais  include optimizing spectator transport, improving the waste management system, and sustainable purchasing.  

“We set up a shuttle system to transport the public. On-site food concessions used compostable, recyclable or returnable containers, and we set up waste sorting kiosks.”

The organization has also decided not to use single-use plastics in the layout of the site, opting among other things for more eco-responsible alternatives to the tie-wrapsgenerally used.

“It may seem trivial, but with all the banners, posters, and barriers at a World Cup site, the amount of this type of attachment is impressive.”

The fencing used at the site was also durable and can be reused. “There are a lot of fences at a World Cup. Before, we had to throw them away every year because they were no longer in good condition and left microplastics on the ground. The aim is not to buy new plastic every year.”

Another change made was to opt for fabric strips to mark the jump structures instead of using spray paint.

“When you put paint on snow, it melts. That’s obviously a problem. What’s more, dozens of paint cans are used during a World Cup. We opted instead for strips of fabric attached to the jump where we wanted color,” explained Thénault.

The competition organization has also purchased some carbon credits from a local organization.  

But Thénault already has a few ideas in mind to do even better next year. “I’m looking for funding to continue our sustainable development efforts.”

The athlete is also involved with Protect Our Winters. “We go into schools to talk about climate action. Last year, I took part in a tour of Ontario. This program wasn’t given in French or in Quebec. This year, I went to a few schools in Quebec to give the program in French. In the future, I’d like to have a small cohort of athletes visit Quebec schools as part of the program.”

The Beijing 2022 Olympian was a finalist for an IOC Climate Action Award this year and is attending the Sport Positive Summit 2024 in London in early October. “It’s a great opportunity to learn about what’s happening in the industry right now and see how it could influence my project.”

The aerospace engineering student intends to use the concepts she has acquired through her studies to contribute to a more sustainable future. “I don’t know if it will be on a terrestrial level or in the sustainable development of space exploitation.”

For Marion Thénault, the sky is not the limit.