Report outlines sports sector’s role as health and climate champion
A European Outdoor Group (EOG)-backed report outlines how the outdoor and sports sector could become a “transformative force for climate action, health, and societal well-being”.
‘Outdoor and Sports as a Leading Climate Solution Provider’ has been published by Mission Innovation, an initiative catalysing action and investment in clean energy.
The report puts the sector’s direct emissions at around 10 million tonnes CO2e per year but says it can have a wider impact by promoting fewer, multifunctional, high-quality garments and providing incentives for more active lives.
Dennis Pamlin, executive director at Flourishing lives 4 All and lead author of the report, said: “This is not about marginal reductions, it’s about unlocking a vision where smart wardrobes, healthier lives and better systems deliver both massive emissions cuts and a society rich in meaning, creativity and connection.”
The report includes a “roadmap” for policymakers, investors and city planners to align infrastructure and education systems with these benefits.
“The outdoor and sports sector has long made positive contributions, but it is time to accelerate and scale those positive impacts exponentially,” said David Ekelund (pictured), CEO of Icebug and president of the EOG. “It’s time to integrate nature-connected lifestyles into policy and planning, from classrooms to city streets.”
The report has also been supported by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry.
