SHARE 2.0 green sport manifesto.
Date: 2025-09-09
Institutions: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture
Subjects: EU sport policy, action programme, competitiveness, manifesto, sport, sports facilities, sustainable development

SHARE 2.0
Green Sport Manifesto

Credit:Mantas Zilicius

Sport

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Directorate-General for Youth, Sport and Culture 
Directorate EAC D — Culture, Creativity and Sport 
Unit EAC D.3 

E-mail:   EAC-UNITE-D3@ec.europa.eu

European Commission
B-1049 Brussels

1 

The opinions expressed are those of the author(s) only and should not be considered as representative of 
the European Commission’s official position. 

Luxembourg, Publications Office of the European Union, 2025. 

© European Union, 2025 

The Commission’s reuse policy is implemented by Commission Decision 2011/833/EU of 12 December 2011 on the 
reuse of Commission documents (OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 39, 

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2011/833/oj). 

Unless otherwise noted, the reuse of this document is authorised under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 
International (CC BY 4.0) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This means that reuse is allowed, 
provided appropriate credit is given and any changes are indicated. 

Print     ISBN 978-92-68-25397-7 doi:10.2766/8225168 NC-01-25-038-EN-C
PDF     ISBN 978-92-68-25396-0 doi:10.2766/4068677 NC-01-25-038-EN-N 

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

SHARE 2.0 
Green Sport Manifesto 

September 2025 

Directorate-General for Youth, Sport and Culture 
Manifesto for Environmentally Sustainable European Sport 

SHARE 2.0 
Green Sport Manifesto 

Contents 

List of acronyms and abbreviations ............................................................... 5 

Green Sport Manifesto ..................................................................................... 6 

1.

Introduction .............................................................................................. 9 

2.

The Manifesto explained ....................................................................... 17 

2.1.  Who is the Manifesto for? .................................................................... 17 

2.1.1.  Audience .................................................................................................. 17 
2.1.2.  Scope of the Manifesto ............................................................................. 18 

2.2.  Why is the Manifesto needed? ............................................................ 18 

2.2.1.  Evidence and recommendations from the Green Sport Playbook ........... 18 
2.2.2.  Recommendations from the SHARE 2.0 Green Sport CoP and Steering 

Group ....................................................................................................... 20 
2.3.  What are the Manifesto’s Aims? .......................................................... 21 

2.4.  How will the Manifesto work? .............................................................. 22 

2.4.1.  Registration process ................................................................................. 22 
2.4.2.  Promotion and communications ............................................................... 22 
2.4.3.  Transparency: progress towards meeting the Green Sport manifesto 

commitments ............................................................................................ 23 

3.

The Manifesto in detail .......................................................................... 24 

3.1.  Sport sector organisations and businesses ......................................... 24 

3.2.  Government and public sector policy-makers and funders .................. 25 

4. Guidance and support for Manifesto signatories ............................... 26 

4.1.  Sport sector organisations and businesses ......................................... 26 

4.2.  Government and public sector policymakers and funders ................... 31 

5.

Annexes .................................................................................................. 34 

5.1.  Annex I: Table: Green Deal vs IOC and UN SDGs .............................. 34 

5.2.  Annex II: Key international frameworks ............................................... 35 

5.3.  Annex III: Sources ............................................................................... 36 

4 

List of acronyms and abbreviations 

CBD 

CSR 

Convention on Biological Diversity 

Corporate Social Responsibility 

ERDF 

European Regional Development Fund 

FIS 

IOC 

IUCN 

NEB 

International Ski and Snowboard Federation 

International Olympic Committee 

International Union for Conservation of Nature 

New European Bauhaus 

SDGs 

Sustainable Development Goals 

UNEP 

United Nations Environment Programme 

UNFCCC 

United Nations Convention on Climate Change 

5 

 
 
 
Green Sport Manifesto 

The Manifesto aims to drive environmental sustainability action in the European 
sport  sector.  By  signing  up  to  five  commitments,  any  organisation  involved  in 
sport in Europe can join others in highlighting their commitment to sustainability. 
Organisations  signing  the  Manifesto  can  find  resources  tailored  to  their 
commitments and join an online community to share their work and receive peer 
support. 

The Manifesto divides the sport sector into two simple groups with appropriate 
commitments for each: sports organisations and businesses in one group, and 
public sector sport policy-makers and funders in the other. A brief summary of the 
is  available  on 
commitments 
https://sport.ec.europa.eu/initiatives/share-201. 

is  given  below,  and 

full  Manifesto 

the 

(i) As a sport sector organisation or business, we commit to: 

●  Put a sustainability governance structure in place; 

●  Produce a sustainability strategy covering European Green Deal topics; 

●  Measure and report sustainability progress yearly, across operations and events; 

●  Support green sport cooperation and knowledge-sharing; 

●  Develop, use and share green sport tools. 

Or, 

(ii) As a government or public sector policy-maker or funder, we commit to: 

●  Establish a sustainable sport board or advisory group; 

●  Support green sport cooperation and knowledge-sharing; 

●  Develop, use and share green sport tools; 

●  Work towards making environmental sustainability an important funding criterion; 

●  Prioritise sustainability support for smaller sports, local events and grassroots activities 

1 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/initiatives/share-20  

6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Green Sport Manifesto aims to:  

●  Engage  the  European  sport  sector  at  every  level  to  demonstrate 
solidarity  and  commit  to  concrete,  verifiable  steps  to  make  Europe  more 
environmentally sustainable through the practise of sport. 

●  Consolidate  a  green  sport  movement  by  pooling  participant 
organisations  and  institutions  who,  by  signing  up  to  some  simple  yet 
essential  steps,  will  publicly  signal  and  communicate  their  commitment  to 
sustainability. 

●  Provide basic information and signpost sport organisations to further 
resources  and  case  studies  to  help  them  take  the  first  step,  or  move 
further, on their sustainability journey. 

●  Support and complement existing successful green sport initiatives at 
national  and  international  level,  whilst  encouraging  adaptability  to  local 
circumstances.    Specifically,  to  be  compatible  with  International  Olympic 
Committee  (IOC)  sustainability  principles,  the  United  Nations  Sustainable 
Development  Goals  (SDGs)  as  well  as  the  European  Green  Deal  and 
corresponding policies at European and national level. 

●  Facilitate  greater  connectivity  and  sharing  within  the  sector  by 
exchanging  resources  and  best  practices,  and  to  support  greater 
innovation  and  new  solutions,  particularly 
through  cross-sectoral 
collaboration and engagement with subject experts from outside the sector. 

Endorsing  the  Green  Sport  Manifesto  is  a  significant  initiative  showing 
commitment to environmentally sustainable sport. However, it does not provide 
direct access to funds made available under EU programmes and instruments.  

Background and context 

Recently,  Europe  has  been  increasing  connections  between  sport  and  the 
environment and supporting the European sport sector’s response to the urgent 
challenges  and  opportunities  in  this  area.  This  has  primarily  been  through  the 
European  Commission’s  Green  Sport  Expert  Group  (hereafter,  Green  Sport 
Expert  Group)  and  publication  of,  Sport’s  contribution  to  the  European  Green 
Deal. A sport sector playbook2 (hereafter, the Playbook). There has also been an 

2 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/news/a-sport-sector-playbook-for-the-european-green-deal  

7 

 
 
 
 
 
increase in environment-focused sports projects supported by EU funding, such 
as through Erasmus+, Life and the SHARE initiative.  

Project in a nutshell 

The Manifesto builds on the work of the Green Sport Expert Group and follows 
the publication of their policy guidance on green sport in the Playbook. SHARE 
2.0’s thematic community of practice on green and sustainable sport (hereafter, 
SHARE 2.0 Green Sport CoP) now seeks to help the European sports community 
to move from policy to practice in delivering more sustainable sport aligned with 
the European Green Deal.  

To this end, the SHARE 2.0 Green Sport CoP, informed by an expert Steering 
Group and outputs from its first conference in September 20243, proposes the 
following process to move the sport sector forward: 

● SHARE 2.0 Green Sport Manifesto to engage all levels and types of sport.

● A  series  of  workshops  and  regular  webinars  to  support  European  sport’s
engagement  with  the  Manifesto  and  environmental  sustainability  more
widely.

● This ideas paper focuses on the Manifesto.

3 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/news/taking-a-step-into-the-future-of-sport-insights-from-the-2024-share-20-annual-

conference

8 

1.  Introduction 

SHARE 2.0 Initiative 

SHARE  2.04  is  a  European  Commission  initiative  to  foster  dialogue,  build 
capacity and facilitate collaboration amongst over 400 sport stakeholders in the 
fields of EU funding, health, innovation and sustainability. It is based around four 
Communities  of  Practice  (CoPs)  which  include  public  authorities,  grassroots 
sports  organisations,  federations,  and  policy  experts.  CoPs  are  based  on  a 
participatory method that allows all SHARE2.0 members to take an active role. 

The CoPs met in September 2024 for the SHARE 2024 Annual Conference in 
Brussels. During the discussions, each Community identified key topics which 
then  formed  the  basis  for  the  development  of  this  paper.  To  ensure  effective 
representation, the feedback was gathered through a bottom-up approach which 
was made possible thanks to the contributions of SHARE members, including 
the active involvement of the Steering Group members. The Steering Groups 
of  each  CoP  are  composed  of  up  to  10  members  selected  through  a  Call  for 
Expressions of Interest. Their role includes steering discussions and supporting 
the definition of topics, capacity-building activities and papers.  

This  paper  has  been  edited  with  the  primary  objective  of  being  a  valuable 
resource for sport stakeholders, by sport stakeholders. 

The European Sport Model 

In 2022 the study on the European Sport Model5 highlighted sustainability as a 
crucial development within the sport sector. Similarly, the Fifth EU Work Plan for 
Sport  (2024-2027),  which  set  out  priorities  and  strategic  objectives  for  sport 
across  the  European  Union,  emphasised  sustainable  sport  as  one  of  the  key 
topics6.In a similar manner, the SHARE 2.0 initiative has reflected on the topic 
through the SHARE 2.0 thematic community of practice on green and sustainable 
sport (hereafter, SHARE 2.0 Green Sport CoP), linked to the European Green 
Deal objectives and during its annual SHARE 2.0 conference7. It builds on the 

4 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/initiatives/share-20 

5 European Commission: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, Sennett, J., Le Gall, A., Kelly, G., 

Cottrill, R. et al., Study on the European sport model – A report to the European Commission, Publications Office 
of the European Union, 2022, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/28433 

6 Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the 

Council on the European Union Work Plan for Sport (1 July 2024 – 31 December 2027), 9771/24, 
https://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-9771-2024-INIT/en/pdf. 

7 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/initiatives/share-20 

9 

 
 
 
 
previous  phase  of  the  SHARE  initiative  (2018-20238),  when  several  key 
documents on green sport, including 'Green Transition and Sport at All Levels' 
and 'Guidance for Local Clubs Becoming Greener’ were published.  

The environmental impact of the sport sector 

Sport holds significant cultural and economic importance9 in Europe, from large-
scale sporting events in state-of-the-art stadia in European cities, to the practice 
of grassroots sport using local facilities, to outdoor sport in mountains, rivers, and 
seas. However, the sport sector also has a considerable environmental impact 
on land, water, air and wildlife. Due to its size and importance, as well as its close 
connection  with  other  sectors  such  as  transport,  energy,  construction,  waste 
management,  hospitality,  food  and  beverage,  tourism,  communications  and 
broadcasting,  sport  generates  various  sources  of  pollution  and  environmental 
impacts.  

In the European Union, the effect of sport on the environment varies from one 
Member State to another, and across sporting disciplines. For example, sports 
like  swimming  depend  on  energy-intensive  facilities,  while  outdoor  sports 
sometimes  require  substantial  infrastructure  that  can  have  a  direct  impact  on 
natural areas, including coastal regions, woodlands and mountains (e.g. skiing)10. 
For instance, the French Agency for Ecological Transition (Ademe11) claims that 
a gathering of 5,000 people produces more than 2.5 tonnes of waste, and uses 
more than 1,000 kWh of energy and 500 kg of paper.  

However,  the  primary  environmental  impact  of  sport,  particularly  on  climate 
change - is often due to fans and athletes travelling for large sporting events. For 
many of these, the greatest potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions lies 
in addressing spectator emissions, particularly travel to and from matches and 
tournaments12.  Logically,  organisers  of  sports  matches,  leagues  and  qualifying 
events  need  to  consider  the  location  and  sequencing  of  their  events  and 
schedules in order to minimise the travel of teams and athletes, and the fans that 
follow  them.  Spectator  emissions  are  closely  related  to  where  athletes  travel, 

8 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/initiatives/share-initiative-2018-2023 

9 According to the 2018 ‘Study on the economic impact of sport through sport satellite accounts’, sport-related activities 

contributed to 2.12% to the EU’s GDP, amounting to EUR 279.7 billion. Additionally, sport-related employment 
accounted for 2.72% of total EU employment, including athletes, coaches, support staff and administrators.  

10 WWF: Report WWF France - climate change: the world of sport at +2°C and +4°C. Available at: 

https://www.wwf.fr/sites/default/files/doc-2021-07/02072021_Rapport_Dereglement-
climatique_le_monde_du_sport_a_plus_2_et_4_degres_WWF%20France_4.pdf 

11 https://www.ademe.fr/en/frontpage/ 

12 The EU-funded ‘LIFE Tackle’ project estimated that for a professional football match, transportation alone accounted 

for 40% of the environmental footprint, with over 70% of this being attributed to supporters’ travel. Available at: 
https://lifetackle.eu/  

10 

 
 
 
 
since  in  some  sports  (e.g.  football),  fans  follow  their  favourite  team  to  away 
games.  

The impact of climate change and the environment on sport  

Climate  change  also  has  a  significant  impact  on  sport,  for  example  on 
infrastructure, event scheduling and organisation, leading to disruptions, delays 
or  cancellations.  Winter  and  water  sports  are  particularly  threatened  by  issues 
such  as  lack  of  snow,  coastal  erosion,  sea  level  rise,  flooding  or  water  quality 
problems.    For  example,  climate  change  negatively  impacts  the  length  of  the 
season  for  some  sports  such  as  skiing.  Additionally,  athletes’  health  and 
performance are also jeopardised by heat stress, UV exposure, allergens or air 
pollution.  

The relationship between the environment and sport is complex, and efforts to 
address climate impacts may inadvertently increase the environmental footprint 
of  sports  activities.  For  example,  solutions  like  artificial  snow  making  and 
increased irrigation can further harm the environment. 

 Green sport in the European Union 

‘Green sport’, also known as ‘sustainable sport’, ‘sport and environment’ or ‘eco-
sport’, is a concept that refers to sports activities and events that are designed, 
organised,  and  executed  with  a  focus  on  environmental  sustainability  and 
minimising  their  environmental  impact.  In  Europe,  this  concept  has  gained 
increasing attention in recent years, thanks to increasing levels of environmental 
scrutiny,  legislation,  and  initiatives  such  as  the  European  Green  Deal13,  which 
sets a path towards carbon neutrality by 2050, requiring collective action from all 
sectors, including sport.  

At European level, green sport is gaining importance and has been incorporated 
into the EU Work Plan for Sport14. It has also been referenced in several texts 
such  as  the  European  Parliament  Resolution  on  Sports  policy15.  In  2022,  two 
significant Council Conclusions were published. The French Presidency released 
Conclusions  on  Sport  and  physical  activity,  a  promising  lever  to  transform 

13 The European Green Deal - European Commission

14 Resolution of the Council and of the Representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the 

Council on the European Union Work Plan for Sport (1 January 2021-30 June 2024). Available at: https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX%3A42020Y1204%2801%29 

15 European Parliament resolution of 23 November 2021 on EU sports policy: assessment and possible ways forward 
(2021/2058(INI)). The document emphasised the need for environmental sustainability in the sport sector in line 
with the Green Deal. Available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/TA-9-2021-0463_EN.html 

11 

behaviour  for  sustainable  development”16  while  the  Czech  Presidency  focused 
on,  Sustainable  and  accessible  sports  infrastructure17.  Both  texts  highlight  the 
need  to  minimise  sport’s  negative  impact  on  the  environment  and  biodiversity, 
adapt to climate threats and adopt sustainable, energy-efficient and low carbon 
solutions from different perspectives  

In addition to these policy documents, the EU is actively making funding available 
to support the green transition of the sport sector.  

Key funding programmes for environmental sustainability in sport 

Funding programme 

Example of projects 

Erasmus+ Sport18 
Erasmus+ provides funding to projects aiming to 
increase capacity and knowledge in 
organisations connected to sport, physical 
activity and voluntary activities. 

● Green Sports Hub Europe (GSHE)19 is a
three-year project which aims to establish
an EU-level hub to enhance the
environmental performance of sports.

● ASAP project developed the ‘ASAP

Roadmap and Toolbox’ giving any sport
organisation a helping hand in the
development of their own sustainability
strategy20.

●

Through the OCEAN21 project, sport
organisations were supported to enhance
climate action in their ecosystem, measure
and reduce their carbon footprint. All tools
are available on the project website.

● ACCESS22 aims to tackle the gap between
the environmental performance of sports
clubs and the environmental strategies of
the cities or regions where they are based.
It focuses on regional and cross-sectoral
solutions based on circular economy
actions.

16 Conclusions of the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States on ‘Sport and physical 
activity, a promising lever to transform behaviour for sustainable development’ (2022/C 170/01). https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:52022XG0425(01)  

17 Conclusions of the Council and the representatives of the Governments of the Member States meeting within the 

Council on sustainable and accessible sports infrastructure. 15365/22. Available at: st15365-en22.pdf

18 https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/opportunities/opportunities-for-organisations/sport-actions?   

19 The Green Sports Hub project has the objective to empower European Sports Federations, smaller associations and 

clubs to address environmental sustainability through a European hub that provides tools, policy guidance and 
good practice examples. Its audiences include federations, policy makers, sports clubs and NGOs. Available at: 
https://greensportshub.eu/. 

20 https://www.olympijskytym.cz/asap-sport

21 https://project-ocean.eu/ 

22 https://access-cc.eu/

12 

Key funding programmes for environmental sustainability in sport 

LIFE programme23 
The LIFE Programme is the EU’s funding 
instrument for the environment and climate 
action. It can support the sport sector in adopting 
more sustainable practices.  

●  LIFE Tackle24 sought to improve the 

environmental management of football 
matches as well as the overall level of 
awareness and attention towards 
environmental issues in the football sector. 

●  The Recycleyourboots project25 aims to 
recycle dismantled ski boots, which are 
currently disposed of in landfills, into new 
plastic products by regenerating polymers. 
This will be achieved through a cross-
industry system in Italy, Austria, France, 
and Germany. The project seeks to 
overcome market barriers to ensure a 
steady supply of recycled plastics, aligning 
with the European Green Deal and relevant 
EU directives on waste and plastics. 

●  The LIFET4C project26 aims to create a 

high-performance synthetic turf pitch that is 
both safe and sustainable, including its end-
of-life management. This involves 
improving the design and manufacturing 
processes of its components from an 
advanced prototype stage to full-scale 
production, and ensuring the turf performs 
well in real-world conditions. 

●  More projects can be found in the LIFE 

public database27.  

23 https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/programmes/life_en 

24 https://lifetackle.eu/ 

25 https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/life/publicWebsite/project/LIFE20-ENV-IT-000206/transnational-supply-chain-to-recover-

end-of-life-skiboots-and-give-a-new-life-to-recycled-plastic 

26 https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/life/publicWebsite/project/LIFE22-ENV-ES-LIFET4C-101113745/circular-and-safe-

solution-for-synthetic-turf-pitches 

27 https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/life/publicWebsite/search  

13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Key funding programmes for environmental sustainability in sport 

European Regional Development Fund 
(ERDF28) 
The ERDF can fund sport and sports 
infrastructure through the green and low-carbon 
priorities. This can be achieved, for instance, 
through the construction or renovation of sports 
facilities to reduce their environmental impact. 

●  The VUB swimming pool in Belgium was 
renovated to make it more sustainable. The 
renovation of the pool, costing EUR 8 
million, was significantly supported by the 
ERDF, alongside contributions from state 
sources and private sponsors 29. 

● 

Installation of a nearly zero-energy sport 
facility as a model project30. The project 
aims to develop a nearly zero-energy sports 
facility in Kisvárda, Hungary,  focusing on 
football and handball. It emphasises 
sustainability through the use of renewable 
energy, energy-efficient design, and 
environmental education.  

●  The Pampeloponnesian Stadium of 

Patras 31, Greece, enhanced the stadium's 
energy efficiency by upgrading the air-
conditioning system, installing a solar hot 
water system, implementing a central 
management system, and replacing old 
lighting with energy-efficient LED 
technology. 

●  More projects can be found in the Kohesio 

database32.  

28 https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/funding/erdf_en  

29 https://www.vub.be/en/support-vub/support-vub-through-gift/renovated-vub-swimming-pool  

30 https://kohesio.ec.europa.eu/en/projects/Q3944161 

31 https://kohesio.ec.europa.eu/en/projects/Q2770535 

32 https://kohesio.ec.europa.eu/en/projects 

14 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Key funding programmes for environmental sustainability in sport 

New European Bauhaus33 

The New European Bauhaus (NEB) brings 
citizens, experts, businesses, and institutions 
together to reimagine sustainable living in 
Europe and beyond. In addition to creating a 
platform for experimentation and connection, the 
initiative also supports positive change by 
providing access to EU funding for beautiful, 
sustainable, and inclusive projects. 

The background paper prepared as part of the 
SHARE initiative 1.0 identified some of the 
opportunities offered by the NEB to the sport 
sector34. 

As part of the NEB Festival 2024, the movement 
Sport#withoutwaste35, with the general mission of 
rethinking grassroots sport practices of how 
events are conducted and of sparking new green 
policies in sport, was highlighted. 
Although the New European Bauhaus does not 
directly target the sport sector, it welcomes 
contributions from a wide range of stakeholders 
including the sport movement. Current calls for 
proposals are found here36. Nevertheless, as part 
of Pilot Projects and Preparatory Actions (PPPA) 
the call Sport for People and Planet - a new 
approach on sustainability through sport in 
Europe, was launched in 202337. 

Horizon Europe38 

Horizon Europe is a research and innovation-
focused programme which can support sport 
projects, particularly around topics which connect 
research and innovation in sport with health, 
culture, climate and environmental topics. 

Upwears39 
This is a project to develop sustainable solutions 
for upgraded smart wearables and equipment in 
sport. With participants in France, Sweden, 
Belgium and Portugal, the project researches 
reduced environmental impact sport textiles which 
incorporate biomimetic fabrics, embedded 
electronics and energy sensors. 

The sport sector can play a dual role in contributing to the European Green Deal 
targets  by  reducing  its  own  environmental  impact  and  by  inspiring  broader 
behaviour change. Additionally, sport can reach vast audiences through events, 
broadcasts,  and  online  media:  sport  players,  clubs,  brands  and  sponsors  are 
increasingly promoting sustainability. 

33 https://new-european-bauhaus.europa.eu/index_en 

34 sport.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2022-08/The-New-European-Bauhaus_opportunities-for-the-sport-sector-

final.pdf

35 https://new-european-bauhaus.europa.eu/events/festival/fair/sport-withoutwaste-bg-be-active-bg_en 

36 https://new-european-bauhaus.europa.eu/funding/currently-open-and-forthcoming-calls_en 

37 https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/calls-for-

proposals?callIdentifier=PPPA-SPORT-2023-PEOPLE-
PLANET&isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502,31094503&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=5
0&sortBy=startDate

38 https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-

calls/horizon-europe_en 

39 https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101130741

15 

The sport sector itself has been addressing environmental issues since at least 
the 1990 Rio Earth Summit and the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games, 
with mega events like the Olympic Games sometimes leading the way, along with 
nature-dependent sports such as surfing, and high-impact sports such as golf, 
motor  sports  and  winter  sports  gradually  following  suit.  Increasingly  however, 
questions are being asked about the viability of some sports and events and the 
suitability  of  some  sponsors  who  may  be  using  sport  to  ‘greenwash’  or 
‘sportswash’ their brands. 

International frameworks for environmental sustainability 

At  international  level,  the  key  international  frameworks  for  environmental 
sustainability in sport include: the UN SDGs, the IOC Sustainability strategy, UN 
Sport for Climate Action and Sports for Nature Framework (See Annex II).  

Driving sustainability in sports: a unified effort 

Making  the  sport  sector  more  sustainable  requires  the  collective  efforts  of 
decision-makers, international and national sport federations, sponsors, funders, 
professional  and  grassroots  sport  clubs,  the  fitness  sector,  the  sporting  goods 
industry,  the  sport  tourism  sector,  as  well  as  consumers,  leisure  athletes,  and 
fans. For example, without a clear commitment by all sport sector actors to be 
accountable  and  responsible  for  their  own  impact,  while  effecting  behavioural 
change among the public, the world of sports will not realise its potential to help 
resolve the global challenges we currently face.  

16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
2.  The Manifesto explained 

2.1.  Who is the Manifesto for?  

2.1.1.  Audience 

The  Manifesto  is  for  all  organisations  involved  in  the 
European  sport  sector:  from  leisure  and  grassroots 
activities  to  clubs  and  leagues  of  all  sports  and  all  sizes; 
from  equipment  and  apparel  manufacturers  to  sports 
technology  and  research  organisations;  from  host  cities  and  venue 
operators  to  rights  holders  and  governing  bodies.    All  these  actors  and 
activities contribute to sport’s environmental impact, whether it is in terms 
of  providing  goods  and  services,  building  or  maintaining  facilities, 
organising events or taking part as participants or fans.  

The intention is for the Manifesto to be fully inclusive and all-encompassing 
across  all  sports  and  Member  States,  fostering  solidarity  and  exchange 
between the different levels and types of organisations operating across 
the sports sectors. 

Examples of potential Manifesto signatories include: 

At European level 

Pan-European sports organisations such as European sports federations and committees, European 
sporting rights holders and event organisers, European Union directorates concerned with sport or 
environmental protection, European sport and sustainability non-governmental organisations (NGOs). 

Member State level 

Member State sports organisations including federations and governing bodies, National Olympic 
Committees (NOCs), sports clubs, leagues, rights holders, sponsors, the sporting goods industry, 
NGOs, suppliers and contractors, plus those operating events and sports facilities at all levels. 
Ministries (responsible for sport, health, climate, environment, etc.) and other publicly-funded sport 
bodies. Host cities and regional and local government entities. 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
2.1.2.  Scope of the Manifesto  

Organised around the European Green Deal 

Following  the  work  of  the  European  Commission’s  Green  Sport  Expert 
Group  (the  Green  Sport  Expert  Group)  and  its  guidance  provided  in, 
Sport’s  contribution  to  the  European  Green  Deal.  A  sport  sector 
playbook40 (the Playbook), the Manifesto will focus on encouraging and 
supporting  the  European  sport  sector  to  take  action  on  environmental 
sustainability and move towards meeting the ambitions of the European 
Green Deal. 

For this reason, the recommendations and guidance in the Manifesto are 
organised  around  the  following  Green  Deal  categories:  clean  energy; 
sustainable  industry;  building  and  renovation;  farm  to  fork41;  eliminating 
pollution; sustainable mobility and biodiversity. 

2.2.  Why is the Manifesto needed?  

2.2.1.  Evidence and recommendations from the Green Sport 

Playbook 

Eighteen months of consultations and analysis of the state of 
environmental  sustainability  in  the  European  sport  sector  by 
the Green Sport Expert Group in 2022 and 2023, culminated in 
the  analysis  and  policy  recommendations  published  in  the 
Sport Sector Playbook, in 202342. It sets out a detailed set of 

challenges and opportunities, and highlights:  

●  A disparate and disjointed sport sector in relation to environmental issues, 
with highly varied challenges influenced by the type of sport, its location and 
the resources available to it. The analysis identified relatively few joined-up 
approaches to environmental sustainability, either at Member State level or 
by sport.  

●  A lack of governance structures and clear responsibilities for green sport in 
many sports organisations, plus poor coordination across public bodies with 
responsibilities for sport or environmental issues in many places. 

40 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/news/a-sport-sector-playbook-for-the-european-green-deal  

41 https://food.ec.europa.eu/horizontal-topics/farm-fork-strategy_en 

42 European Commission: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, Sport’s contribution to the 

European Green Deal – A sport sector playbook, Publications Office of the European Union, 
2023, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/809359 

18 

 
 
 
 
●  A lack of capacity, expertise and training for environmental sustainability in 

all but the largest and wealthiest sport organisations.  

●  A  lack  of  publicly  available  data  relating  to  sport  sector  performance  on 
environmental  sustainability,  often  with  little  accountability  or  external 
scrutiny by funders and administrators.  

●  Correspondingly,  common  or  comparable  methodological  approaches  are 
rare,  if  sustainability  data  are  available.  Where  green  sport  tools  and 
checklists are available, they tend to be sport-, event- or country-specific 

●  Funding models in sport frequently do not prioritise sustainability and lack 

related requirements and objectives. 

●  No ‘go to’ hub or central point-of-contact to support and facilitate green sport 

action at a European level. 

●  Overall, little evidence to suggest that the European sport sector is on track 

to deliver on European Green Deal targets. 

In addition to its analysis of the current state of play, the Playbook included the 
following recommendations: 

For sport stakeholders at EU level 

●  To more firmly anchor the role of sustainable sport as an important part of the Green Deal. 

●  To strengthen cross-sectoral cooperation on sport and sustainability within and across EU 

institutions. 

●  For the ERASMUS+ programme to further embed green modalities in support of its climate and 

environment objectives. 

●  To promote the outcomes of relevant Erasmus+ projects, e.g. the OCEAN or ASAP projects, 

sharing good practice and policy recommendations. 

For sport stakeholders at Member State level 

●  To identify an environmental sustainability champion for sport and create a cross-directorate 

working group on the topic. 

●  To develop a sustainability action plan for their sport sector. 

●  To support the creation of green sport networks and promote collaboration and knowledge-

sharing between sports organisations. 

●  To promote good practices, innovative partnerships and cross-sectoral cooperation in their sport 

sector. 

For governing bodies and sports organisations 

●  To identify a dedicated role with responsibility for environmental sustainability. 

●  To develop a sustainability plan or include a sustainability plan within the Development Strategy 

for their sport. 

19 

 
 
 
 
 
2.2.2.  Recommendations from the SHARE 2.0 Green Sport 

CoP and Steering Group 

Building on the work developed by the Green Sport Expert Group in the Playbook, 
the SHARE 2.0 Green Sport CoP Steering Group members and the attendees at 
the SHARE 2.0 September 2024 conference identified the following priorities to 
guide the development of the SHARE 2.0 initiative.  

● For SHARE 2.0 to provide motivation and solidarity to help all in the sport

sector to move forward.

● Further work should be done to provide a vision of how sport will function
successfully in a carbon neutral world, including ethical, sustainable funding
and sponsorship.

● SHARE  2.0  should  be  compatible  with  and  complementary  to  existing
national and international initiatives in green sport. It should aim to support,
rather than replace, existing successful initiatives, driving more engagement
with them in Europe.

● It should be simple and effective in meeting the identified need to reach and
engage smaller and grassroots sports and those outside the support network
of the Olympic movement.

● It should respond to the call for more practical guidance and should signpost
to  resources  such  as  checklists  and  case  studies,  helping  to  turn  the
Playbook into practical action.

● SHARE  2.0  should  support  the  development  of  mechanisms  to  ensure
greater accountability and independent oversight of sport sector action on
environmental sustainability.

● The initiative could provide the foundations and a path towards establishing
a permanent platform or hub for green sport in Europe to provide ongoing
support to the sport sector.

● It should facilitate greater joined-up working between European Commission

policy and funding on sport and sustainability.

● It should facilitate increased funding for environmental sustainability within
sport-focused  funding  schemes  and  help  increase  the  chances  of  sport
organisations  successfully  accessing 
through  environmental,
sustainability-focused schemes.

funding 

● SHARE  2.0  should  help  draw  together  disparate  projects  and  initiatives,
especially those that are funded by the European Commission, for stronger
combined and more consistent action.

20 

2.3.  What are the Manifesto’s Aims? 

In  response  to  the  work  of  the  Green  Sport  Expert  Group,  the 
recommendations of the Playbook and the input from the SHARE 
2.0 Steering Group and conference, the Manifesto was developed 
with the following aims: 

●  To engage the European sport sector at every level to foster solidarity and 
commit to concrete, verifiable steps to make Europe more environmentally 
sustainable through the practise of sport. 

●  To  consolidate  a  green  sport  movement  by  attracting  signatories  who,  by 
signing up to the Green Sport Manifesto’s commitments, will publicly signal 
and communicate their commitment to sport’s wide audience. 

●  To  provide  basic  information  and  signpost  sport  organisations  to  further 
resources and case studies to help them take the first step, or move further, 
on their sustainability journey. 

●  To  support  and  complement  existing  successful  green  sport  initiatives  at 
national  and  international  level,  whilst  encouraging  adaptability  to  local 
circumstances.  Specifically,  to  be  compatible  with  IOC  sustainability 
principles, the United Nations SDGs, as well as the European Green Deal 
and corresponding Member State policies. 

●  To  facilitate  greater  connectivity  and  sharing  within  the  sector  through 
exchanging resources and best practice, and to support greater innovation 
and  new  solutions,  particularly  through  cross-sectoral  collaboration  and 
engagement with subject experts from outside the sector. 

21 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2.4.  How will the Manifesto work? 

2.4.1.  Registration process 

Organisations  willing  to  publicly  endorse  the  Green  Sport 
to  get  senior  management 
manifesto  are  encouraged 
endorsement  (e.g.  Board  meeting)  and  register  their 
signature of the Manifesto via an online form available on the 
European  Commission  sport  website43.  Once  the  signing  process  is  complete, 
signatory  organisations  will  be  able  to  download  an  edited  PDF  version  of  the 
Manifesto, which can be featured on their website as proof of their endorsement. 
This PDF version should be used in any communication or promotional activities 
related to their commitment to the Manifesto. 

2.4.2.  Promotion and communications 

Signatories will be encouraged to: 

●  Publicise  their  signing  of  the  Manifesto  through  their  own  online  and 
social media platforms, using the designated hashtag #EUGreenSport, to 
connect with the SHARE initiative and other signatories; to support content 
categorisation and enhance discoverability of the Manifesto.  

●  Promote 

their  endorsement  of 

the 
downloadable  PDF  version  of  the  Manifesto  commitments,  available 
online after completion of the registration process 

the  Manifesto  by  using 

● 

Ideally,  signatories  adhering  to  the  principles  of  the  Manifesto  could 
produce and share short video case studies of their actions in support 
of the Manifesto. Video case studies can provide an initial model for sharing 
case studies and tools, as well as content for promoting the Manifesto and 
SHARE 2.0 through conference presentations.  

●  Signatories should also consider using athletes as ambassadors and 
to  use  their  highest  profile  events  and  community  outreach  activities  as 
opportunities to engage stakeholders with their Manifesto commitments and 
to create content for social media.  

43 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/  

22 

 
 
 
 
 
● The  SHARE  2.0  initiative  will  also  support  the  dissemination  of  the
Manifesto  by  engaging  with  sport  organisations  through  the  Green  Sport
Steering Group members and the wider SHARE 2.0 community.

● The SHARE 2.0 community and Steering Group members will also look
for  opportunities  to  promote  the  Manifesto  at  key  sport  meetings,
conferences and events.

● Manifesto  signatories  not  yet  part  of  the  SHARE  2.0  Community  of
Practice  on  Green  Sport  are  invited  to  join  it.  Through  SHARE  2.0,
signatories to the Manifesto can find resources tailored to their commitments
and join an online community to share their work and receive peer support.

2.4.3.  Transparency: progress towards meeting the Green 

Sport manifesto commitments 

Manifesto signatories will be encouraged to: 

● Provide  progress  updates  via  an  online 

form  available  at
https://sport.ec.europa.eu/initiatives/share-2044,  indicating  how  they  have
achieved or are working towards meeting the Manifesto commitments.

● Provide  links  to  the  relevant  public  documents  demonstrating  their
progress  -  for  example,  the  specific  section  of  their  website  where  this
information is published.

44 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/initiatives/share-20 

23 

3.  The Manifesto in detail 

The Manifesto is intended for public dissemination.  

The tables below outline recommended actions for both sport sector 
organisations  and  businesses,  as  well  as  government  and  public 
sector  policy-makers  and  funders.  These  recommendations  are 

organised according to the various commitments of the SHARE 2.0 Manifesto.  

3.1.  Sport sector organisations and businesses 

Commitment: Put in place a sustainability governance structure  

● 

Identify a staff member with responsibility for implementing environmental sustainability, 
accountable to a named board member.  

●  Make environmental sustainability a standing item on the agenda for Board meetings. 

●  Report on environmental sustainability in annual reports. 

●  Create a budget line for environmental sustainability in financial planning and accounting. 

Commitment: Produce a sustainability strategy covering European Green Deal topics 

●  Write a simple strategy for environmental sustainability covering all operations, activities, funding 

and events 

●  Base it on the topics in either the EU Green Deal, the IOC sustainability strategy or the UN 

SDGs, and aim for alignment with your local authority’s sustainability policies. 

●  SHARE it with stakeholders (including sponsors and funders) and suppliers through your 

website and/or other communications channels. 

Commitment: Measure and report progress yearly, across operations and events 

●  Measure your environmental sustainability performance across the topics set out in your 

strategy. 

●  Publish your progress against your strategy in a public document.  

● 

Larger organisations should consider independent review or certification of their data. 

Commitment: Support green sport cooperation and knowledge-sharing 

●  Network and make connections with others in your sport or location.  

● 

Look for sustainability partnership opportunities with local authorities, NGOs, education 
providers and businesses near you.  

● 

Look for opportunities to develop and share successful projects as case studies.  

Commitment: Develop, use and share green sport tools 

●  Develop tools appropriate to your sport, event and location with input from your local 

stakeholders.  

● 

Look for opportunities to share tools with other sports organisations which may also benefit from 
them.  

24 

 
 
 
 
 
3.2.  Government and public sector policy-makers and 

funders 

Commitment: Establish a sustainable sport working or advisory group 

●  Set up a group to champion and monitor environmental sustainability in sport across the relevant 

departments or functions of your organisation.  

● 

Include sport organisations in your decision-making processes to maximise sectoral 
engagement and deployment. 

●  Monitor your spending on environmental sustainability and ensure any financing and 

sponsorship is ethical and sustainable. 

Commitment: Support green sport cooperation and knowledge-sharing 

●  Create opportunities for sport sector cooperation and knowledge-sharing on environmental 

sustainability through events, conferences, working groups and ideas papers. 

●  Build and incentivise connections, initiatives and partnerships between the public and private 

sectors, education providers and NGOs, to foster innovation and problem-solving on green sport 
topics. 

Commitment: Develop, use and share green sport tools 

●  Create the conditions and provide incentives for innovative tools and approaches to be 

developed to address green sport issues. 

●  Strive to create a pan-European platform for green sport. 

Commitment: Work towards making environmental sustainability an important 
condition of your grant-making and funding criteria 

●  Make environmental sustainability prominent in your funding criteria. 

●  Consider creating a dedicated fund for supporting green sport-orientated projects. 

●  Consider the public endorsement of this Manifesto as a qualitative reference in the evaluation of 
funding applications under sport financing schemes at the local, regional or national level. 

Commitment: Prioritise support for smaller sports, local events  
and grassroots activities 

●  Prioritise and focus your support, funding and engagement to ensure that you are reaching 

smaller sports and smaller events, including leisure and youth participation in grassroots sport. 

25 

 
 
 
 
 
 
4.  Guidance and support for Manifesto signatories 

This  section  offers  guidance  and  support  on  implementing  the  various 
commitments  of  the  Manifesto  for  both  the  sport  sector  and  business 
organisations,  as  well  as  government  and  public  sector  policy-makers  and 
funders. It is important to note that the list of tools, resources, and case studies 
provided is not exhaustive. However, it aims to serve as a valuable starting point 
for a wide range of stakeholders to effectively implement the Manifesto. 

4.1.  Sport sector organisations and businesses 

Guidance, tool or resource 

Case study or example 

Manifesto commitment: Put in place a sustainability governance structure  

ASAP Roadmap 

The Erasmus+-funded ASAP project supports 
European sports organisations to become more 
sustainable through resources organised around 
the ASAP Roadmap45. The Roadmap provides 
sport organisations with guidance and a 
framework for working towards a sustainability 
strategy, including managing staff and 
stakeholders. It includes a number of tools and 
case studies (additionally referenced in this 
table) to support this journey. 

ASAP Governance Case Studies 

The ASAP Sustainability Strategies and Case 
Studies for Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia 
provide short, illustrated case studies to show how 
these countries’ NOCs planned and then executed 
their work to develop sustainability strategies46. 

BENCHES project governance guidance 

Hellenic Basketball case study 

The Erasmus+ funded BENCHES project 
provides best practice governance policy 
guidance, with examples. 

The Hellenic Basketball Federation has 
established a corporate social responsibility (CSR) 
department and strategy. Its website is not in 
English, but an account of the Federation’s work 
can be found at: Sustainability Report. 

Deck project governance guidance 

The Erasmus+ funded Deck project has 
developed sustainability guidelines, including 
governance guidance that is widely applicable to 
sports organisations. 

British Triathlon governance case study 

British Triathlon has established a Sustainability 
Committee47 comprising 11 external experts, 
supported by two members of staff. 

45 https://www.olympijskytym.cz/asap-sport 

46 https://www.olympijskytym.cz/asap-sport 

47 https://www.britishtriathlon.org/about-

us/sustainability/commission#:~:text=The%20commission%20is%20made%20up,environmental%20sustainability
%20and%20triathlon%20backgrounds. 

26 

 
 
 
 
 
Guidance, tool or resource 

Case study or example 

International Biathlon Union (IBU) 
Sustainability Commission 
The IBU Executive Board established the IBU 
Sustainability Commission to integrate 
sustainability into governance. This commission, 
part of the 2020-2030 Sustainability Strategy, 
advises on strategy, policies, and best practices, 
involving members from seven National 
Federations to ensure full integration of 
sustainability principles within the IBU’s 
governance structure48. 

International Ski Federation (FIS) Nordic World 
Ski Championships 2021 
The ‘Environment and Sustainability’ committee, 
an independent expert panel, managed and 
supported the sustainability strategy’s 
development and implementation. It ensured 
measures were anchored at the management 
level, with decisions based on cost-efficiency and 
adherence to ecological and social guidelines49. 

Manifesto commitment: Produce a sustainability strategy covering Green Deal topics 

ASAP sustainability strategy guidance 
Here, the Erasmus+-funded ASAP project 
provides detailed guidance and case studies to 
support any sports organisation in producing a 
sustainability strategy as part of the project’s 
Roadmap50. 

ASAP Strategy Case Studies 
The  ASAP Sustainability Strategies and Case 
Studies for the Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia51 
NOCs are adaptable for any sports organisation 
(using the accompanying guidance). They are 
particularly helpful for NOCs and national 
federations and governing bodies of sport. 

Fields of Change Handbook 
This Handbook52, produced by Adidas, Common 
Goal and Football for Future, provides a 
comprehensive primer for any sports 
organisation wishing to understand 
environmental sustainability in relation to their 
sport and then take action to mitigate their 
impact and adapt their practice. 

GSHE Strategy Case Studies 

The Erasmus+ funded Green Sports Hub Europe 
(GSHE) project provides a free library of 
resources including: 

●

●

short video case study outlining the
European Athletics Sustainability
Strategy53,

short video case study covering the NOC
Slovenia sustainability strategy54, and
suitable for smaller clubs, video case study
outlining the approach of the Union St
Gilloise FC sustainability strategy55.

48 International Biathlon Union - Inside IBU Sustainability Commission 

49 NWM21_ReportSustain_ENG_V02_21_02_22_internet.pdf 

50 https://www.olympijskytym.cz/asap-sport 

51 https://www.olympijskytym.cz/asap-sport 

52 https://footballforfuture.org/fieldsofchange 

53 https://learn.greensportshub.eu/initiatives/european-athletics-sustainable-strategy/   

54 https://learn.greensportshub.eu/initiatives/sustainable-strategy-noc-slovenia/   

55 https://learn.greensportshub.eu/initiatives/sustainable-strategy-union-saint-gilloise-club/ 

27 

Guidance, tool or resource 

Case study or example 

Union of European Football Associations 
(UEFA) Strategy Case Study 

For the largest sport organisations and, in 
particular, other European sport federations, the 
UEFA  Sustainability Strategy 2030 56 outlines a 
comprehensive approach to sustainability in 
European football. 

Spanish NOC Sustainability Strategy 

The Spanish NOC has produced a sustainability 
strategy that is aligned with the IOC’s own 
strategy as well as with the UN SDGs.  

Manifesto commitment: Measure and report progress yearly, across operations and events 

Football measuring and reporting Case 
Studies  

Top-flight football clubs Manchester City and FC 
Barcelona provide examples of their annual 
sustainability reporting:  

●  Manchester City FC Sustainability Report 

202458 

●  FC Barcelona Annual Sustainability 

Report59. 

German Bundesliga sustainability leader VfL 
Wolfsburg reports on a range of sustainability 
topics: VfL Wolfsburg – Climate, resource 
management and environmental management 
approaches60. 

ASAP Organisational Screening Tool 

The ASAP project provides a simple 
Organisational Screening Tool57 to help 
investigate and understand an organisation’s 
environmental sustainability impact and to help 
set a ‘baseline’ for future sustainability work. 

Coach Climat événements 
Paris Olympic Games 2024, with support from 
the Ministry of Sports and CNOSF, has created 
"Coach Climat événements," 61 an online tool62 to 
help French sports events reduce their carbon 
footprint and promote ecological transformation. 

56 https://www.uefa.com/sustainability/our-commitment/sustainability-strategy/ 

57 https://www.olympijskytym.cz/asap-sport 

58 https://www.mancity.com/club/sustainability-game-plan 

59 https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/club/sustainability/reports-and-guides 

60 https://www.vfl-wolfsburg.de/en/vfl/corporate-responsibility/environment   

61https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/our-commitments/the-environment/the-climate-coach-for-events-a-tool-for-a-low-

carbon-sport 

62 https://www.coachclimatevenements.org/ressources-utiles 

28 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Guidance, tool or resource 

Case study or example 

GSHE Self-Assessment Tool 
The GSHE project provides a detailed Green 
Sport Self-Assessment Tool63, available for any 
sports organisation to use to assess their current 
progress on environmental sustainability and 
create a baseline for future reporting. 

Manifesto commitment: Support green sport cooperation and knowledge-sharing 

EU Sport Sector Playbook 
The Playbook 64 provides a comprehensive 
analysis of European sport’s activities around 
environmental sustainability and a policy 
guidance framework for sport sector 
organisations, public authorities and 
stakeholders. 

ASAP Communications Cheat Sheet 
The ASAP project, as part of its comprehensive 
Roadmap for all European sports organisations, 
provides the ASAP Sustainability 
Communications Cheat Sheet66 to help users 
communicate effectively with internal and 
external stakeholders, share their work, and 
foster cooperation with fans, partners, suppliers, 
stakeholders and other sports organisations. 

SHARE Green Sport Transition Paper 
The European Commission established the 
SportHub: Alliance for Regional development in 
Europe (SHARE) initiative in 2018. The research 
paper -   SHARE Green Sport Transition Paper68 
– sets out some principles for action and
cooperation in sport towards greater
sustainability.

GSHE Mapping and Initiatives Report 
The GSHE project provides an analysis of the 
state of play in European sport with a review of 
tools, standards, policies and initiatives: Mapping 
of initiatives Report65. 

UKS Kamieńczyk Case Study 
UKS Kamieńczyk, a Polish biathlon club for young 
people, has implemented a range of sustainability 
initiatives to reduce its impact and inspire others 
to do the same, including partnering with a 
national park. The UKS Kamieńczyk case study67 
is one of several examples of smaller clubs taking 
action on the IBU website. 

IOC Sustainability Champions 
Focused on providing resources for, and 
examples of athletes as ambassadors for green 
issues, the IOC’s Sustainability Champions 69 
initiative has potentially wider application for 
anyone in a sport organisation who wants to help 
drive change. 

European Week of Sport 

Italian Football Federation: 
Sostenabilia platform 

Sports organisations looking to increase 
cooperation and engagement around green 
issues affecting their sport can look to participate 
in or lead an activity during the annual European 
Week of Sport70. 

The Italian Football Federation has launched the 
Sostenabilia platform, designed to engage fans 
and stakeholders across multimedia platforms 
with social and environmental activities in Italian 
football: description in English and tool in Italian. 

63 https://greensportshub.eu/green-sports-resources/   

64 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/news/a-sport-sector-playbook-for-the-european-green-deal 

65 https://greensportshub.eu/green-sports-resources/ 

66 https://www.olympijskytym.cz/asap-sport 

67 https://www.biathlonworld.com/inside-ibu/sustainability/biathlon-sustainability-case-studies 

68 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2022-08/SHARE-LAB-Green-Transition-and-Sport-at-All-Levels-final.pdf   

69 https://stillmed.olympics.com/media/Documents/Beyond-the-Games/Sustainability/Essentials/How-to-be-a-

sustainable-champion-guide.pdf   

70 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/european-week-of-sport

29 

Guidance, tool or resource 

Case study or example 

Manifesto commitment: Develop, use and share green sport tools 

ASAP Material Assessment Tools 

FC Barcelona shared resources 

The suite of tools and resources available 
through the ASAP project71 includes simple 
ASAP Materiality Assessment Tools designed to 
help sport organisations prioritise environmental 
sustainability issues. 

Football team FC Barcelona shares a range of 
useful resources and examples of its work online, 
including its Materiality Assessment and Carbon 
Footprint72. 

GSHE Self-Assessment Tool 

The GSHE project provides a detailed Green 
Sport Self-Assessment Tool73, available for any 
sports organisation to use to assess its current 
progress on environmental sustainability and 
help set priorities for the future. 

Sustainable sporting events74 
The web portal jointly developed by the German 
Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), German 
Sport University Cologne (DSHS) and the Institute 
for Applied ecology (Öko-Institut e.V.) offers 
sports organisers – whether for major international 
events or local sports festivals – targeted solutions 
to make sporting events more sustainable. 

GOALS Carbon Footprint Calculator 

The Erasmus+ funded GOALS project includes a  
football carbon footprint calculator75. Whilst aimed 
specifically at football clubs, this calculator could 
also make a useful starting point for other stadium 
or arena-based sports wishing to gain an initial 
understanding of their climate impact.  

OCEAN Carbon Footprint Calculator 

Designed for NOCs, sports federations and 
sports organisations of all kinds, the OCEAN 
project includes a Carbon footprint calculator 76 
and associated resources to assess and then 
reduce an organisation’s climate impact. 

UEFA Football Footprint Calculator 

UEFA has released a Football Carbon Footprint 
Calculator 77 specifically designed for football. 

71 https://www.olympijskytym.cz/asap-sport 

72 https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/club/sustainability/reports-and-guides/reports 

73 https://greensportshub.eu/green-sports-resources/   

74 https://www.nachhaltige-sportveranstaltungen.de/en/ 

75 https://www.footballfootprint.eu/   

76 https://project-ocean.eu/project/ 

77 https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/028b-1a57e8a4954a-33b55de0b457-1000--uefa-carbon-footprint-calculator/ 

30 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4.2.  Government and public sector policymakers and 

funders 

Government and public sector policymakers and funders 

Manifesto commitment: Support green sport cooperation and knowledge-sharing 

Guidance, tool or resource 

Case study or example 

EU Sport Sector Playbook 
The Playbook 78 provides a comprehensive 
analysis of green sport issues in Europe together 
with guidance, recommendations and resources 
targeted at supporting the role of government and 
public sector organisations in enabling green 
sport in their jurisdiction. 

IOC Sustainability Essentials 
The IOC Sustainability Essentials 81 includes a 
range of detailed sport sustainability resources 
that government and public sector organisations 
can signpost and utilise with the key bodies 
organising and funding sport across Europe or in 
their Member State. 

#BeActive campaign 
Partner organisations of the European Week of 
Sport can utilise the #BeActive campaign 
resources. The campaign culminates in the 
European Week of Sport83. The #BeActive 
resources can enhance communications and 
engagement around sport and environmental 
projects. 

French Government Eco-Charter and PNACC 
Sport 
In France, the Ministry for Sport, in partnership 
with World Wildlife Fund, has produced an Event 
Charter for Eco-Responsibility79 based around 15 
pledges that cover environmental topics 
appropriate for sports events. 
Additionally, the Ministry for Sport has released 
its first national climate adaptation plan for sport 
(PNACC Sport80), outlining 30 measures—6 of 
which are to be implemented by 2030 in 
mainland France. The plan assesses climate 
impacts on sport and proposes adaptations in 
how sports are played, events are organised, and 
facilities and economic models are managed. 

German Government Sport 2030 
The German Ministry for Sport has produced a 
position paper called Sustainable Sport 203082, 
setting out general principles and action areas 
and establishing an Advisory Board for 
Environment and Sport. 

Sport for All and the Environment (SforAE) 
The project promotes ecological behaviour in 
sports, emphasising environmental education 
and sustainability. It involves partners from 
Central and Eastern Europe, sharing expertise to 
develop guidelines for eco-friendly sports events, 
organise flagship events, and publish best 
practices. The project aims to foster cooperation 
and create a synergistic effect among partners84. 

78 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/news/a-sport-sector-playbook-for-the-european-green-deal 

79 https://www.wwf.fr/sites/default/files/doc-2024-04/15-pledge-charter-for-ecoresponsability_.pdf

80 https://www.agenda-2030.fr/a-la-une/actualites-a-la-une/article/premier-plan-national-d-adaptation-des-pratiques-

sportives-au-changement?

81 https://olympics.com/ioc/sustainability/essentials 

82https://www.bmuv.de/fileadmin/Daten_BMU/Download_PDF/Tourismus_Sport/positionspapier_nachhaltiger_sport_20

30_2112_en_bf.pdf 

83 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/european-week-of-sport   

84 Sport for All and the Environment (SforAE) Project

31 

Government and public sector policymakers and funders 

SHARE 2.0 initiative 
Public sector sport decision-makers can 
participate in the SHARE 2.085 initiative as a way 
of furthering cooperation and knowledge-sharing 
across the European sport sector. 

Manifesto commitment: Develop, use and share green sport tools 

ASAP Materiality Assessment Tools 
Government and public sector organisations with 
a sport remit can utilise the ASAP project 
resources, including the ASAP Materiality 
Assessment Tools 86 in order to better 
understand, support and fund the sustainability 
requirements of their sport sector. 

Sports for Future in Germany 
The Sports for Future87 initiative in Germany 
aims to provide tools, education and support to a 
wide range of sports organisations and 
stakeholders in Germany. 

ACCESS project tools for cities hosting sports 
The Erasmus+-funded ACCESS project aims to 
promote circularity in cities through environmental 
sustainability in sports. The project has published 
training videos and a range of good practice 
examples, from waste and mobility to food and 
infrastructure. 

Sport NL Green in the Netherlands 
In the Netherlands, a range of public-funded 
sport organisations have together produced Sport 
NL Green88, which includes an assessment tool 
orientated around sports premises (the tool is in 
Dutch). 

Manifesto commitment: Make environmental sustainability an important  
condition of funding criteria 

City of Copenhagen 
Examples of environmental criteria for sports 
funding are currently very limited in Europe. The 
Danish city of Copenhagen has sustainability 
criteria, plus a guide and toolkit89 for hosting 
events, including sports, in the city. 

85 https://sport.ec.europa.eu/initiatives/share-20 

86 https://www.olympijskytym.cz/asap-sport 

87 https://sportsforfuture.de/en/ 

88 https://cfp.nl/en/nl-green/#sport-nl-green 

89 https://www.wonderfulcopenhagen.com/convention-bureau/sustainable-events 

32 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Government and public sector policymakers and funders 

Manifesto commitment: Prioritise support for smaller sports events  
and grassroots activities 

Play Green project 
The Erasmus+-funded PlayGreen90 project 
provides resources for tackling climate change by 
connecting young people and sports events 
through volunteering and training. 

Buddle grassroots case studies 
Buddle provides a wide range of resources and 
case studies for small sports organisations, 
teams and individuals to tackle environmental 
sustainability action: Buddle. 

BAGS grassroots project 
The European Organisation for grassroots sport 
(ENGSO) leads the Erasmus+-funded BAGS 
project91 to extend the outcomes of the 
PlayGreen project by testing tools and 
volunteering activities in grassroots sport. 

Greener Game for English Football 
Greener Game is a new initiative by England 
Football to support grassroots football clubs 
through access to tutorials, case studies and 
guides 92. 

Sport England Every Move resources 
Sport England has curated a range of resources 
and case studies for smaller and grassroots 
sports under the Every Move project. Although 
the materials are focused on England, they could 
have wider application.  

ZERO Snowboard project 
The ZERO project93 is a collaboration between 
sports federations, campaign groups and 
academic institutions to engage  young 
snowboarders through grassroots activities in the 
fight against climate change. Tools include an 
online platform, training, research and 
workshops. 

90 https://ecoserveis.net/en/playgreensports/ 

91 https://engso.eu/sustainable-practices-in-grassroots-sport-bags-project-update-survey/ 

92 https://www.englandfootball.com/articles/2024/Nov/19/Greener-Game-launched-20241119 

93 https://www.worldsnowboardfederation.org/news/initative/education-sport-zero/  

33 

 
 
 
 
5.  Annexes 

5.1.  Annex I: Table: Green Deal vs IOC and UN SDGs 

Green Deal 

IOC Sustainability 
Focus Area 

UN Sustainable 
Development Goal 

Relevance to sport 

Clean Energy 

Climate 

Sustainable 
Industry 

Sourcing and 
resource 
management 

7 Affordable and clean 
energy 13 Climate 
action 

Facility, event and office 
heating, lighting, cooling, 
temporary generation and 
powered processes and 
energy usage 

9 Industry, innovation 
and infrastructure 12 
Responsible 
consumption and 
production 

Sporting goods industry, 
accommodation, 
merchandise, procurement, 
materials, re-use, recycling, 
circularity 

Building and 
renovation 

Infrastructure and 
green sites Sourcing 
and resource 
management 

9 Industry, innovation 
and infrastructure 11 
Sustainable cities and 
communities 

Stadia and facilities 
construction, renovation and 
maintenance. Climate 
adaptations 

Farm to fork 

Sourcing and 
resource 
management 

12 Responsible 
consumption and 
production 

Catering, event hospitality, 
accommodation, sport 
nutrition 

Eliminating 
pollution 

Infrastructure and 
Green Sites Sourcing 
and resource 
management 

6 Clean water and 
sanitation 14 Life 
below water 15 Life  
on Land 

Litter prevention and waste 
collection, air pollution 
(vehicle and building 
emissions), water and soil 
pollution (preventing 
litter/plastics, liquid leaks, 
washrooms, equipment 
washing) 

Sustainable 
mobility 

Mobility 

9 Industry, innovation 
and infrastructure 11 
Sustainable cities and 
communities 

Event and operational travel: 
mode switching, parking and 
storage, event location and 
sequencing, offsetting 

Biodiversity 

Infrastructure and 
green sites 

14 Life below water  
15 Life on land 

Event location and timing, 
lighting, new facility and 
infrastructure location, 
protected areas, outdoor 
sport and use of and access 
to natural areas 

34 

 
 
 
 
 
 
5.2.  Annex II: Key international frameworks 

International framework 

Description 

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)94 

Environmental sustainability in sport is linked to the 
following SDGs: 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15. 

IOC Sustainability Strategy95 

UN Sports for Climate Action96 

Sports for Nature Framework97 

After the creation of its sustainability strategy in 
2016, the IOC adopted 18 objectives that range 
from day-to-day operations to engaging its 
stakeholders to be more sustainable and adopting 
sustainable practices in the Olympic Games. 

It is aligned with the UN SDGs, and regularly 
publishes sustainability reports to track progress. 

This framework offers general guidelines for 
signatories to follow to support sport 
organisations in reducing their carbon footprint. 
Signatories are supported by the UNFCCC which 
coordinates and facilitates the delivery of their 
actions, notably through working group sessions, 
and by the IOC, which provides guidelines. 

Resources for signatories to the Framework 
include affordable and easy-to-use Life Cycle 
Assessment tools, standard guidance, and 
indicators that can be used by smaller clubs and 
individuals to measure their carbon footprints and 
monitor progress in mitigating emissions. 

This Framework strives to build on and 
complement existing initiatives and efforts, 
including the UN Sports for Climate Action 
Framework. It aims to bring together the sports 
and nature conservation communities at all levels 
and in all regions of the world, from local clubs to 
global sport organisations. 

Supported by the IOC and UNEP, the ’Sports for 
Nature: Setting a Baseline handbook 98’ provided 
valuable input for the establishment of the Sports 
for Nature Framework and insights into what 
sports can do to engage with nature. 

Signatories are required to submit an annual 
progress report. To support signatories in their 
efforts, the framework offers technical assistance, 
tools, and training as well as opportunities for 
peer learning. 

94 Implemented through the ‘Agenda 2030’, the UN SDGs aim to make the world fairer through addressing 
environmental, social and economic development issues. Available at: THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable 
Development. 

95 The IOC provides a wealth of guidelines, case studies and support documents to support climate action, nature 
conservation and other sustainable practices in sport. Available at: https://olympics.com/ioc/sustainability 

96 https://unfccc.int/climate-action/sectoral-engagement/sports-for-climate-action

97 About us - Sports for nature. A joint initiative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 

International Olympic Committee (IOC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Secretariat of the 
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Sails of Change. 

98 Sports for Nature: Setting a Baseline – Handbook | UNEP - UN Environment Programme 

35 

5.3.  Annex III: Sources 

● IOC Sustainability Strategy. Available at: Olympic Sustainability - The

IOC Sustainability Strategy

● European Commission: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport
and Culture, Sport’s contribution to the European Green Deal – A sport
sector playbook, Publications Office of the European Union,
2023, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/809359.

● United Nations Environment Programme (2022). Sports for Nature: Setting
a baseline – Handbook. Available at: Sports for Nature: Setting a Baseline
– Handbook | UNEP - UN Environment Programme

● WWF: Report WWF France - climate change: the world of sport at +2°C
and +4°C. Available at: https://www.wwf.fr/sites/default/files/doc-2021-
07/02072021_Rapport_Dereglement-
climatique_le_monde_du_sport_a_plus_2_et_4_degres_WWF%20France
_4.pdf

36 

Getting in touch with the EU 

In person 

All over the European Union there are hundreds of Europe Direct centres. 
You can find the address of the centre nearest you online (european-
union.europa.eu/contact-eu/meet-us_en). 

On the phone or in writing 

Europe Direct is a service that answers your questions about the European 
Union. You can contact this service: 

–

–
–

by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (certain operators may charge for
these calls),
at the following standard number: +32 22999696,
via the following form: european-union.europa.eu/contact-eu/write-us_en.

Finding information about the EU 

Online 

Information about the European Union in all the official languages of the EU is 
available on the Europa website (european-union.europa.eu). 

EU publications 

You can view or order EU publications at op.europa.eu/en/publications. 
Multiple copies of free publications can be obtained by contacting Europe 
Direct or your local documentation centre (european-union.europa.eu/contact-
eu/meet-us_en). 

EU law and related documents 

For access to legal information from the EU, including all EU law since 1951 
in all the official language versions, go to EUR-Lex (eur-lex.europa.eu). 

EU open data 

The portal data.europa.eu provides access to open datasets from the EU 
institutions, bodies and agencies. These can be downloaded and reused for 
free, for both commercial and non-commercial purposes. The portal also 
provides access to a wealth of datasets from European countries.

37