UN convention to review environmental case against France's 2030 Winter Olympics

GENEVA (Reuters) -Legal experts of a U.N. environmental convention decided on Wednesday to consider a case brought by members of the public raising concerns about the environmental impact of hosting the 2030 Winter Olympics in France.

The case, submitted by the Citizens' Collective JOP2030 - which includes alpine residents and environmentalists, as well as other associations, alleges that France did not comply with several articles of the legally binding Aarhus Convention.

The United Nations agreement, which has 48 member states, including the EU, seeks to protect transparency, public participation and justice in environmental matters. Its Compliance Committee, composed of independent legal experts, on Wednesday declared the case admissible. 

The groups that brought the case contend that France did not adequately consult the public during the bidding for and organisation of the 2030 Winter Olympics and that it did not transparently disclose key environmental information.

The French permanent mission in Geneva did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

The group also raised concerns about the project's large carbon footprint and extensive infrastructure development in sensitive alpine environments.

It marks the first time a case concerning compliance with obligations under the Aarhus Convention has been brought against a Party regarding the organisation of the Olympic Games, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. 

"This historic first decision should call on France to stop imposing decisions on its citizens and to immediately organise a public debate on the hosting of the games," Delphine Larat, lawyer and co-founder of the citizen collective JOP 2030 told Reuters. 

A similar case submitted by members of the French Parliament was also deemed admissible on Wednesday.

France will have five months to submit its response. A compliance procedure will then take place, allowing a committee to assess whether France breached the Aarhus Convention, a process that could last several years.

In February, Edgar Grospiron, president of the 2030 Winter Games organising committee, said he was determined to ensure the games have as little impact on the environment as possible.

The 2030 Winter Games will be held in Nice and the French Alps from February 1-17.

(Reporting by Olivia Le Poidevin; Editing by David Gregorio)