UK Sport has published its Environmental Sustainability Strategy which includes a goal for high-performance sport to have a net positive impact on the environment by 2040. This ambition builds on a goal of reducing the negative environmental impact of UK Sport’s own activities and operations, to achieve net zero by 2030.
The strategy, which is available here [26 pages], covers the period 2023-2025 and marks the first step in ensuring that the next generation of champions — the Team of Tomorrow — continue to deliver more extraordinary sporting moments.
Alongside specific action and targets, the strategy also highlights the wider influence of high-performance sport and the important role that sport can play in advocating for environmental sustainability and inspiring positive change across society. Warning that a lack of action to tackle climate change represents a significant threat to the future of our planet, as well as the long-term relevance and even existence of high-performance sport itself, key priorities outlined in the strategy include:
- A requirement for national governing bodies to analyse their environmental impacts and develop an Environmental Sustainability Action Plan by the end of March 2025, aligned with the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework;
- Using the voice, influence and platform of high-performance sport to advocate for environmental sustainability and inspire positive change;
- Incorporate action on environmental sustainability into the bidding, hosting and delivery of major events;
- Responsible procurement of goods and services to reduce negative environmental impacts;
- Continued annual reporting of environmental impacts, increasing the range of sustainability measures reported on. A report outlining UK Sport’s carbon emissions 2021/22 is available here.
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For more information about UK Sport’s Team of Tomorrow campaign, please click here.