Sport’s contribution to the European Green Deal

The European Green Deal sets a bold and necessary path towards carbon neutrality by 2050, a goal that demands collective action from every sector of society. Sport is no exception. With its mass appeal across all segments of society, sport holds immense potential to spearhead awareness and drive the change towards environmental sustainability. The policies and actions of decision-makers, international and national sport federations, professional and grassroots sport clubs, the fitness sector, the sporting goods industry, the sport tourism sector, but also consumers, leisure athletes, and not least fans, have a major impact on the climate and the environment. The commitment to this cause has seen a rising tide within the sporting world. Yet, the journey ahead remains substantial. It is with a sense of urgency and optimism that I introduce this report, a collaborative effort by the Green Sport Expert Group, which was established under the EU Work Plan for Sport 2021-24. This group, composed of representatives from EU Member States, observers from the global sporting world, and experts from institutions such as the European Environment Agency and the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), has been instrumental in charting a sustainable course for sports under the European Green Deal. The report proposes a comprehensive ‘playbook’ for integrating environmental sustainability within the European sports sector. It outlines policy recommendations designed to: Facilitate and promote environmental sustainability in the European sport sector; Provide simple, high-level guidance to policymakers at both European and Member State levels, ensuring alignment with the Green Deal objectives; Provide guidance on key green sport topics, spotlight pioneering initiatives, showcase best practice and point towards further resources for stakeholder in European sports. This report is not just a compendium of guidelines; it is an invitation to action. It is a call to every stakeholder in the European sports ecosystem to play their part in realising the vision of the Green Deal. Let me highlight two key points of the report: first, for the EU Member States, it underscores the imperative for national sustainable sport strategies, and second, for sports organisations, it highlights the necessity to establish and monitor their carbon footprints.