Din recent weeks, the media have widely relayed the controversy created by the construction of a new tower for the surfing event of the 2024 Olympic Games (OG), which will take place on the legendary site of Teahupo’o (Tahiti, peninsula of Taiarapu). An exceptional media relay, in particular because of the concerns expressed by well-known surfers about the impact of this tower on corals and fish, and even on the wave itself. A petition has even collected hundreds of thousands of signatures, and, even in France, concern dominates.
It was an association of residents, the Vai ara o Teahupo’o association, which first took up the subject in October, when the first pole began to be installed before their eyes. Residents were very surprised to learn, during a public meeting, that a new tower would be installed, without them having been consulted beforehand. They were not asked for their opinion because it was not required, since the project was not subject to an environmental impact study.
Indeed, despite the potentially significant repercussions of the project, it did not fall within the thresholds required for such a study, according to the environmental code of French Polynesia (only one “environmental note” was realized). This even though the Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games aims to set an example in this area.
Projects without environmental supervision
The Judges’ Tower controversy thus raises a more systemic problem, specific to the territory, which is that of managing the environmental consequences of projects. Indeed, the thresholds required to carry out impact studies (and what results from them, in particular the consultation of citizens during a public inquiry allowing everyone to become aware of the studies) are too high to trigger them.
However, the developments currently being carried out on the Teahupo’o site in anticipation of the 2024 Olympic Games are far from being negligible: the development of the marina in Puunui Bay, to the northwest of the site (submitted, she, to impact study), has caused significant destruction of coral massifs, and the wetland in front of the site is being filled in for the construction of the Olympic village without any impact study.
Beyond the Teahupo’o site currently in the spotlight, a large number of projects continue to be carried out without environmental supervision, gradually destroying wetlands, rivers, forests and lagoons. It is now important to review these environmental regulations. Forecasts on the impacts of climate change (cyclones, drought, rising water levels, landslides, etc.) call on the contrary for better management, preservation and restoration of natural environments to protect against such impacts – this is what we call “nature-based solutions”.
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