Themed Briefing - May 2021
How Sport Can Help The Environment
Sport is an amazing thing and makes amazing things happen. However, the effect on the environment is not as amazing. In fact, the Olympics have one of the biggest carbon footprints at 3.4 million tons of CO2.
However, significant changes are being seen within the sector and Sport England having just pledged their #planetarypromise. So let’s harness the power of sport and consider ways to increase sustainability within sport. Through implementing best practice, sporting organisations can integrate sustainable development strategies into their delivery and help produce a sustained positive impact for future generations.
We hear from Planet Mark who consult in sustainability, HumanForest who reduce waste and promote active travel and Active Giving who convert physical activity into trees!
Business Development Manager, Jo Little, talks about sustainability and the role sport has to play. Plant Mark is a sustainability certification that recognises improvement to companies emissions year on year.
Climate change is already impacting sport with rising temperatures reducing snowfall and making hot climates difficult to compete in and rising sea levels predicted to damage 1 in 3 British Open golf courses.
Sport is however making great strides in sustainability with the 2024 Paris Olympic Games set to be the first-ever carbon neutral games, new sports such as Formula E emerging and sport fashion brands investing heavily in sustainability.
See transcript here. Contact Jo.Little@planetmark.com.
Sustainability has reached a tipping point, consumers are increasingly embracing social causes, seeking products, services and brands that align with their values. HumanForest aims to encourage this. Their vision is a future of free mobility that protects the environment and is accessible to all Londoners.
Sustainable mobility helps people to make a daily contribution to reducing their footprint. Sometimes climate change feels overwhelming and this is something people can do on a daily basis to help the planet by reducing their footprint, decreasing road congestion and improving air quality.
Micro-mobility may therefore emerge as a leading option for riders who want to protect the environment whilst encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle.
Co-Founder, Laurent Petit, talks about Active Giving a mobile fitness app that tracks physical activity and converts time or distance into trees planted.
In one year, Active Giving has planted over 400 thousand trees from user’s activities and companies support to increase employee and environmental health.
With their new team setting, why not work together as a group to make a difference and help reduce climate change. On the 1st of May, The International Biathlon Union launched a new Biathlon Climate Challenge where they aim to plant 100,000 trees in an attempt to become carbon neutral by 2030. Already, over 26,080 trees have been collected.
If you are interested in learning more and seeing practical guidance in action, the International Olympics Committee have created a series of practical Guides for The Olympic Movement. Take a look below:
