The organisers of the thirty-third modern Olympic Games know that their event will be very different from the last one held in Paris exactly a century ago. The number of athletes was smaller, and tourists and fans did not arrive in six-figure numbers. Nor was there the global scrutiny of television and social media (which tends to amplify the negative and downplay the positive).

As with any major event, despite efforts to demonstrate organisation and superiority, last-minute challenges must be addressed.

Although the Paris 2024 organising committee is not part of President Macron's government, it works closely with central, regional and local authorities. The snap elections called by the French president in the wake of the poor results in the European elections are not helping the situation; on the contrary, they are distracting many officials and could prove costly.

"We will not be ready", admitted Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, last November in the public transport sector. Despite several mass recruitment campaigns and labour negotiations, the public transport authorities have achieved a "significant improvement" in the "general situation", insisted Jimmy Brun, spokesman for RATP, the company that manages the Paris public transport network.

Parisians and tourists will give their verdict in just one month, although approval is unlikely as ticket prices have doubled from €2 to €4 for the duration of the Games.

The RATP will mobilise more than 40,000 agents to run trains, buses and metros from 26 July to 11 August, transporting an average of 500,000 spectators and 200,000 accredited individuals, as well as regular users.

The IDFM, which coordinates the Paris region's public transport network, has drawn up 125 "plan B" scenarios in the event of breakdowns, changes to the timetable or the closure of shuttle services due to accidents, for example.

One uncertainty without a plan B is the outcome of the legislative elections on 30 June and 7 July, which could lead to protests "a few days before the Games", according to Valérie Pecresse, president of the IDFM, who believes that "political disputes can wait two months".

The Seine is one of the highlights of the Olympic Games, hosting the nautical parade for the opening ceremony (security concerns aside in turbulent times) and several competitions: triathlon (30-31 July, 5 August), marathon swimming (8-9 August) and paratriathlon (1 and 2 September).

However, one month before the opening, things are not going smoothly. Only one day met the quality standards.Hopes were raised on 9 June, but other tests failed to meet the legal water quality standards for swimming, and the authorities have no alternative plan in case conditions do not improve before the competition dates.

The "rainy climate" caused a "strong flow of the river, which affected the water quality", the local authorities explained.They are reluctant to admit that despite spending 1.4 billion euros on cleaning up the river, if it rains and pollution increases (including faecal matter ending up in the Seine), the Games may not go ahead as planned. Plan B? Not publicly, at least.

The general rehearsal for the opening ceremony, scheduled for this Monday, has been postponed due to the strong flow of the river, which "mathematically increases the speed of the boats" and reduces the journey time by "15 minutes". However, the event is still expected to take place.

The organisers of the Paris 2024 Olympicshave announced "unprecedented climate commitments" and aim to halve emissions compared to previous editions. Their plan to reduce the carbon footprint includes using 95% existing or temporary infrastructure and stating that transport will account for a third of total emissions.

This is a positive point, probably not as significant as announced, but still a notable improvement on previous Games. However, concerns remain about the air conditioning needs of athletes, who may bring their own portable units and be dissatisfied with the natural cooling system.

The Games were originally estimated to emit 1.58 million tonnes of CO2. However, the organisers have stopped giving specific figures, leading to criticism. Martin Müller, a professor at the Institute of Geography and Sustainability at the University of Lausanne, notes that "without concrete targets, there is no verifiable commitment".

Nevertheless, the organisers have pledged to support carbon offset projects to neutralise the event's emissions.

The authorities will mobilise 45,000 police and gendarmes and 18,000 military personnel. There will also be cooperation with European Union countries, which will send security forces and anti-terrorist dogs.

Although these will "not replace" private security, Paris police prefect Laurent Nuñez said they could "take on certain responsibilities" during the opening ceremony to ensure "the highest level of security".

According to the organising committee, between 18,000 and 22,000 private security guards will be needed during the weeks of the Games.

Marc Guillaume, prefect of the Paris region, said on Friday that 93% of the private security needs had been met.

The organisers were still looking for 400 people to complete the security teams for the opening ceremony on the Seine on 26 July, Bruno le Ray, head of Olympic security, said on Wednesday.

The Opening Ceremony was supposed to accommodate 600,000 spectators, with 100,000 paid seats and 500,000 free seats open to all. However, for security reasons there will only be 220,000 free seats. The total capacity will be around 320,000 spectators, although, as with everything at such a dynamic Paris 2024, we'll have to see if there are any further changes before 26 July.