Applying the City, Green, GO! toolkit will not only enable sports event organizers to act for the future of the planet but also to address many societal challenges. Indeed, whereas 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, a proportion that is expected to increase to 68% by 2050, eco-friendly grassroots sport initiatives in urban areas hold significant potential to enhance our daily lives.
Making sport a role model for eco-friendly initiatives
Sport plays a unifying role in society, bringing together people from different walks of life. So, whether they are athletes, sports fans or event organizers, people from all around the world can be brought together around shared values and initiatives, from the moment they are integrated into sport. Therefore, with its powerful reach, sport has a role to play in setting up and promoting ecofriendly grassroots initiatives even if the world of grassroots sport may seem to be a less significant actor in global warming. In fact, the small-scale effects, the number of grassroots sport athletes and teams, the number of local travels, their consumption and their overall environmental effects combined imply reactions and implementations in the sports world.
This means building and adopting a holistic perspective that encompasses the individual, population, and planetary aspects. Such an approach not only helps to mitigate climate change and protect the environment, but also benefits the individual. Thus, the benefits of implementing eco-friendly grassroots sport initiatives will be manifold, both for those involved in the sporting world, and for society.
Multiple benefits for the society
Implementing eco-friendly grassroots sport initiatives brings benefits not only to the planet, but also to event organizers, particularly in the financial sector, as well as various societal aspects. Indeed, as this toolkit guides the implementation of initiatives in an urban environment, it also makes it possible to offer more eco-friendly physical activity opportunities to urban citizens and to reshape their living environment.
- A link between grassroots sport initiatives and environment protection can motivates people to join sport activities that includes more eco-friendly behaviours, and therefore, stimulates their social engagement.
- This could generate a better knowledge about the functioning of nature and a better environmental literacy, which constitutes the baseline for eco-friendly actions at individual and collective level.
- If urban citizens have a better environmental literacy, they are keener to develop a better connection to nature and it can encourage them to adopt an eco-friendly and more physically active life.
- Because of their local roots, grassroots sport initiatives often prioritize social aspects against economical aspects, and thus, support social equity.
- Promoting environmentally friendly behavior in local communities contributes to shaping urban environments according to citizens’ needs, fostering eco-friendly placemaking and creating more attractive and liveable places conducive to various social activities.
- Shifting the focus from costs to benefits, particularly in promoting regular physical activities, holds positive potential at both individual and societal levels. Extensive research indicates health-economic benefits, such as increased healthy life years and reduced medical treatment needs, associated with appropriate physical activity levels. Additionally, embracing active transport means contributes to a lower carbon footprint, aligning with reduced energy costs.
- According to recent WHO physical activity guidelines, participating in eco-friendly grassroots sports not only enhances individual health but also contributes to overall societal well-being. Embracing active transport, particularly through reduced motorized vehicle use in favor of walking and cycling, offers a compelling win-win scenario, promoting improved air quality, cardiovascular health, and mental well-being for both individuals and the environment.
As global urbanization continues to rise, this toolkit can help you implement sustainable practices that will have a global impact and benefit society as a whole.
If you’d like to find out more about the City, Green, Go! toolkit, join us on YouTube streaming on 17 October from 1.15pm to 3pm. Stay tuned: https://forms.gle/5m3PcX1ui2QBTtwYA
