Roland-Garros for the Planet: How the French Open Is Rethinking Its Environmental Responsibility

Roland-Garros has long been defined by its red clay, its unpredictable weather, and the particular demands it places on the world's best players. But in recent years, the Parisian Grand Slam has added another dimension to its identity: a sustained and increasingly systematic commitment to environmental responsibility.

The tournament's approach spans six distinct areas — mobility, food, energy, water, waste, and biodiversity — reflecting an ambition to embed sustainability into every layer of the event's operation rather than treat it as a peripheral concern.

Transport represents one of the more visible fronts. The Fédération Française de Tennis has partnered with Renault to ensure that 84% of the official fleet serving players, officials and VIPs consists of hybrid or electric vehicles. For spectators, two free guarded bicycle and scooter parking areas have been established, with an incentive built in: those who arrive by bike early enough earn a fastlane entry privilege for the duration of the tournament. The message is clear — how you get there matters.

Inside the stadium, food has become a meaningful part of the sustainability conversation. Since 2016, the FFT has worked alongside the GoodPlanet Foundation to develop a responsible food plan across all of Roland-Garros's restaurants and catering operations. Sixty per cent of food available to the public is now vegetarian, and a green scoring system is displayed on products to help spectators make informed choices. Food waste is addressed through an ongoing partnership with the charity Le Chaînon Manquant, a programme dating back to 2014. In 2024 alone, the equivalent of nearly 21,000 meals were collected and redistributed to people in need. Players are invited into that effort too, with €2 donated to the charity for every water bottle returned at the end of their time at the tournament.

On energy, Roland-Garros has operated on 100% renewable electricity supplied by ENGIE since 2006. Solar panels have been installed throughout the grounds, most notably the 450 square metres fitted to the new retractable roof on Suzanne-Lenglen court, whose output feeds directly into the stadium's network. The installation marked the conclusion of a broader modernisation project that included its own dedicated environmental management plan.

Water conservation has taken on particular significance given the clay court surface that defines the tournament. Rainwater collected in a tank beneath Court 7 is used year-round to irrigate all green spaces at Roland-Garros. The FFT is also working through its Jouons sur terre programme to find ways to reduce water consumption on the courts themselves — a longer-term challenge that sits at the intersection of performance and sustainability.

Waste management follows a similar logic of incremental but meaningful progress. At least fifteen separate waste streams are directed to recycling and processing facilities each year. In partnership with Perrier, machines installed by social enterprise BBOT allow visitors to deposit empty cans and plastic bottles for sorting. In line with France's AGEC circular economy legislation, single-use plastic water bottles have been eliminated for players, media and staff, with water fountains distributed throughout the grounds.

Beyond the stadium boundary, Roland-Garros has for the seventh consecutive year contributed to a reforestation programme run by the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region and the French National Forestry Commission. This year, three projects in the communal forests of Saint-Sauveur, Vars and Arvieux in the Hautes-Alpes are receiving support — an acknowledgement that the tournament's environmental responsibility does not end at the gates of the Bois de Boulogne.

What Roland-Garros has built is not yet a carbon neutrality certification, nor does the programme offer the kind of independently verified emissions data that would allow for rigorous external scrutiny. But across mobility, food, energy, water, waste and land, the tournament has constructed a framework that treats sustainability as an operational priority. In a sport still grappling with the environmental costs of global travel and year-round competition, that consistency carries weight.

Jake Scudder Journalist — topics of tennis

This article is based on information published in Roland-Garros's official environmental commitments statement for the 2026 tournament.