Green Sport & Sustainability
Sport is everywhere - in halls and stadiums, in the movement spaces of cities, in the great outdoors!
Sport has always been characterized by high credibility and has shaped society as an important social and educational factor. It is certainly not one of the biggest environmental pollutants on our planet, but it is one of those social forces that is capable of acting as a role model. Even apart from major sporting events, officials and athletes are faced with enormous challenges!
For athletes and clubs, there are several fields of action for necessary activities. Environmentally friendly travel to and from training and competition dates, the handling of waste, and a critical awareness of the origin and manufacture of sports equipment are becoming increasingly important.
Sports facilities and sports infrastructure will have to be rethought and planned in the future. Resources required for operation will be used more sparingly with the help of new technology. New materials will be used to counteract the impending warming of buildings and surfaces. Future-oriented areas will invite new target groups to engage in sports activities.
Mobility will be organized differently; the avoidance of CO2 emissions must not remain a mere buzzword for sports. Alternative forms of propulsion, carpooling for sporting events or the creation of new cycle paths are already finding their place. A modern and easy-to-use waste management system will have to be used in sports facilities, not least to trigger recycling projects.
SUSTAINABILITY IN SPORTS IS TEAMWORK
Stakeholders, organizations, institutions and individuals must work together to find ways to make sports more sustainable, despite differing perspectives and interests.
The reference framework for CSIT's sustainability concept is formed by the so-called SDGs - the Sustainable Development Goals - of the United Nations (UN). The pursuit of these 17 goals for sustainable development with a total of 169 sub-goals are also anchored in the CSIT Statutes since 2021. They are the core of the 2030 Agenda of the UN, taking into account the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development in a balanced way and bringing together poverty reduction and sustainable development in one agenda for the first time. The aim of sustainable activities in sport is not only to have an impact and influence issue-specific areas within the club or association itself, but to achieve collaborative sustainability outcomes that benefit all stakeholders involved.
A future-fit sports association like CSIT is aware of its responsibility and will use its opportunities to strengthen sustainability and sport. With strategic partnerships and cooperations with the strong institutions like Connect4Climate, a partnership of World Bank Group, and our long lasting partners IOC and GAISF we strive to be part of the global change.
Currently, CSIT is working hard to make the CSIT World Sports Games a true green event - always in close coordination with national and international experts in this field.
For everyone interested GAISF created the platform Sustainability.Sport in collabroation with the IOC which serves as a big pool of know-how, increases the visibility of sustainability initiatives and encourages dialogue and cooperation of partnerships.