Millions of people throughout the world participate in sports because of the pleasure, health, and social benefits they provide.
However,
sports have a significant impact on the environment due to their consumption of natural resources, production of debris and emissions, and influence on biodiversity and ecosystems.
This article will discuss the key environmental concerns and initiatives in the sports industry and how they can help achieve global sustainability goals.
Environmental Concerns in Sports
Sports activities and events can pose various environmental challenges, such as:
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Measuring Your Carbon Footprint in sports as a climate action. | Credit: ethicalstl.org. | Source: Google[/caption]
Sports entail the transportation of people, commodities, and services, which cause greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. For example, the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil generated 2.7 million tons of CO2 equivalent, mostly from air travel.
As a result of the need to build stadiums and other infrastructure that consume vast quantities of energy and materials,
the cost of hosting a World Cup has skyrocketed over the years, from $500 million in 1994 (the United States) to an estimated $220 billion in 2022 (Qatar).
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Recycle of waste materials. | Credit: Dreamstime. | Source: Google[/caption]
Plastic bottles, food packaging, clothing, equipment, and banners are just some of the waste products from sports that wind up in landfills or the ocean. The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, for instance, generated 3,600 tons of solid garbage, of which only 20% was recycled, as
reported by SportBusiness.
The 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, for example, reportedly went through more than 110 million waste items, including cups, plates, silverware, and bags.
- Pollution and degradation:
The deterioration of natural habitats and the introduction of invasive species are just two examples of how sports may negatively impact the environment. Frontiers notes that, in many locations, physical activity is associated with significant environmental dangers, such as exposure to air pollution or excessive heat.
Similarly, the
report warns that hobbies like hiking and canoeing, which emphasize the outdoors, may pose a harm to local biodiversity and micro-climates.
Sporting events consume valuable materials like water, land, timber, metal, and rubber. For instance, in the United States alone, golf courses use around 2.08 billion gallons of water every day, or the same amount as 4.7 million people.
In a similar vein,
Statista reports that manufacturing a single pair of running shoes results in the consumption of roughly 30 litres of water and the release of about 13.6 kilograms of CO2 equivalent.
Environmental Initiatives in Sports
A number of measures have been launched by sports organizations and stakeholders to combat environmental challenges and promote sports sustainability. Instances include:
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Recycled materials in sports. | Credit: gamesmakingnoob.com | Source: Google[/caption]
A number of initiatives have been implemented by the Olympic Games to lessen their impact on the environment and increase sustainability education for competitors and spectators.
For example, World Athletics says that the beds, podiums, medals, torches, and outfits for the athletes at the 2020 Green Olympics in Tokyo were made from recycled and recyclable materials.
Carbon neutrality was another goal of the Games, which was pursued through the use of renewable energy and the offsetting of emissions.
- Sustainable Development Goals:
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United Nations Sustainable Development Goals | Credit: Bond University[/caption]
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a series of 17 global goals established by the United Nations to address a wide range of social, environmental, and economic issues.
Sport may contribute to the SDGs by fostering health and well-being, education, gender equality and empowerment, peace and social cohesion, environmental knowledge and action.
The Green Sports Alliance is a non-profit organization that brings together sports teams, venues, leagues, and fans to promote sustainability in sports.
For example, Green Sports Alliance has more than 600 members across 15 countries, who have collectively saved more than $100 million in energy costs, diverted more than 34 million pounds of waste from landfills, and reduced more than 4 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions.
The Sport Positive Summit is an annual conference devoted to showcasing sustainable sports initiatives.
For instance, Sport Positive Summit reports that in its 2021 edition, representatives from the likes of FIFA, UEFA, the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Formula 1, and World Rugby discussed issues like climate action,
fan engagement, the circular economy, diversity and inclusion, and social impact.
Conclusion
Sports can have a major effect on the environment, but they can also play an important role in fostering sustainability.
A positive legacy for future generations may be left by sports organizations by contributing to global sustainability goals by implementing a variety of strategies and efforts to reduce their environmental impact and increase knowledge about sustainability among their stakeholders.
Sports have the potential to motivate and equip fans to become active community members and advocates for greener practices. Environmental responsibility in sports is an opportunity.
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