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From 26 July 2024, France will be hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games. As the world's largest sporting event, involving public institutions, NGOs and members of civil society, the Games offer a unique opportunity to unite participating nations around the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

French President Emmanuel Macron and the President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, have proposed a Summit on the eve of the Games’ Opening Ceremony – on 25 July, from 5 to 6.30 p.m., at the “Carrousel du Louvre”.

Sport for Sustainable Development
Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together
For a Better Future

This Summit will allow countries and sports stakeholders to make clear their determination to ensure that sport contributes to the SDGs, in line with the Paris 2024 objectives, and as part of a broader commitment to future generations.

Dedicated to youth, this Summit is part of a series of international events linked to the Paris Pact for the Planet and People (June 2023) and the Future Summit (September 2024). It will also welcome other heads of state and government, highlighting a shared interest in "sport and development" projects in partner countries, in the hope that the legacy of Paris 2024 will enable further progress.

The Summit, jointly organised by the IOC and the Office of the French President, will host some 500 participants, including heads of state and government, leaders of international organisations, athletes and representatives of the sports movement (French and International Federations, the Olympic Movement, associations and entrepreneurs), as well as development financiers. It is supported by the Agence française de développement (AFD) Group, which has been strongly committed to these issues since 2018.

The goal is to launch a global "sport and sustainable development" initiative across five areas: education and employment, health and nutrition, equality and inclusion, sustainability and legacy, and financing and impact measurement. It will be webcasted in French and English on the event website, which will be launched soon, and on the co-organisers’ social media platforms.

This Summit will contribute to the legacy of the Paris 2024 Games by strengthening and structuring the contribution of sport to the SDGs.

About the AFD Group:

The AFD Group contributes to the implementation of France's sustainable development and international solidarity policies. Comprising the Agence française de développement (AFD), responsible for financing the public sector and NGOs, research and training, its subsidiary Proparco, dedicated to financing and supporting the private sector, and Expertise France, a technical cooperation agency, the Group finances, supports and accelerates the transitions needed for a fairer, more resilient world.

With and for people, we work with our partners to build shared solutions in more than 150 countries and 11 French overseas departments and territories. Our goal? To reconcile economic development with the preservation of common goods such as climate, biodiversity, peace, gender equality, education and health. Our teams are involved in more than 4,800 projects on the ground, contributing to France's and the French people's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For a world in common.

For more information, visit https://www.afd.fr/en

8-9 October 2024 | Kia Oval, London & Online

Convening global sports to advance sustainable business, resilience and collection action on climate, sustainability, biodiversity and environmental justice

World Environment Day is the United Nations day for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our environment.
This year’s World Environment Day campaign focuses on land restoration, desertification and drought resilience under the slogan “Our land. Our future. We are #GenerationRestoration.”

The European Commission introduced its Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) last year, impacting football organisations’ obligation to CSR information disclosure.

Be ahead of the game and register for the FREE webinar hosted by FREE KICKS to understand your responsibilities and prepare appropriately.

This webinar is particularly applicable for:

European football clubs at all levels
Governing body and league representatives
Partner organisations and sponsors of football clubs

With job functions:

• Executive leadership
• Governance
• Finance
• Sustainability
• Government and External Affairs

Join us to:

• Examine the Evolving Landscape of CSRD: Gain a clear understanding of the directive’s implications for football clubs, who needs to comply and what information must be reported.
• Discover Best Practices: Learn and understand the latest best practices for sustainability reporting in football.
• Ensure Compliance: Gain accessible guidance on complying with CSRD requirements if you are a club that needs to report or if you have sponsors obligated to report

Meet our Experts:

• Nora Annesi: Researcher in Corporate Environmental Management at the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies
• Magdalena Nour: Head of Sustainability at Malmö FF
• Claire Poole: Founder and CEO of Sport Positive

The annual Summit is the largest and most influential gathering for the sports and entertainment community to unite around sustainability. Join us for Faster, Further, Together: 2024 Green Sports Alliance Summit hosted at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles presented by AEG from June 11th to June 13th.

UNITING SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT FOR SUSTAINABILITY JUNE 11 TO JUNE 13 IN LOS ANGELES.

The 14th Annual Green Sports Alliance Summit returns as the largest and most influential gathering for the sports and entertainment community to unite around environmental and social sustainability. AEG, as a pioneering member of the Green Sports Alliance, returns as the Title Sponsor for the event being hosted across L.A. LIVE at Crypto.com Arena, Peacock Theater, and The NOVO. The Summit will gather over 700 stakeholders and feature proven solutions to advance the movement.

As the premier event in sports and entertainment sustainability, our industries are uniquely positioned to make a large-scale impact on the most pressing environmental and social issues that our world faces, by decreasing the carbon footprint of many of our largest public spaces and mobilizing communities to take action. Faster, Further, Together: 2024 Green Sports Alliance Summit seeks to highlight best practices for enhancing performance and fostering a dialogue with stakeholders and fans about environmental stewardship and social justice.

The 2023 Green Sports Alliance Summit: Intention, Action, Impact was hosted at Climate Pledge Arena and Lumen Field in Seattle, WA. It brought together industry leaders, representatives, players, and students in sports and entertainment from all 50 states and 15 countries.

On November 15, the IF Forum will gather an impressive line-up of Sustainability experts which will discuss and share their knowledge around various aspects of this fundamental topic. Speakers include Maris Sallois-Dembreville, IOC Director, Corporate and Sustainable Development, Benjamin Lévêque, Head of Biodiversity and Climate, Paris 2024, Reto Knutti Professor of Climate Physics, ETH Zurich, and many more.

Created in 2013, the UIAA Mountain Protection Award celebrates its landmark ten-year anniversary in 2023.

Across its past nine editions, the MPA has showcased over 150 sustainability initiatives in over 50 countries. Each year one project is selected as the Award winner receiving both prize money and recognition through the UIAA’s international climbing and mountaineering network. The nine past recipients of the MPA have come from nine different countries including projects from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America. These have included earthquake disaster recovery programmes, wildlife conservation initiatives, clean-up campaigns on Everest and projects which engage students and young people into mountain protection.

All projects submitted are analysed and scrutinised by the panel of leading experts on the UIAA Mountain Protection Award Assessment Team. A shortlist of nominated projects are showcased on the annual Award platform and through the UIAA’s communication channels. In recent editions, thanks to the support of main partner Bally Peak Outlook Foundation (BPOF), there have been three prize categories – winner, runner-up, best new initiative .

“The UIAA MPA marks a tenth year anniversary this year, which offers a great opportunity to reflect on the sustaining impact and value that such platforms offer in showcasing and rewarding real mountain protection action on the ground. The UIAA Mountain Protection Commission is very proud of its role in establishing and supporting the MPA over the years, with the grateful support from our sponsors and the immensely valuable expertise from external experts, too. We hope that the MPA continues to inspire our member federations and the general mountaineering community to implement their own mountain protection efforts – the projects promoted via the MPA show that they can and do work.”
Dr Carolina Adler, UIAA Mountain Protection Commission President

Submissions come from all corners of the world and focus on diverse topics such as those which directly study and mitigate the impacts of climate change, others focused on the protection of rare flora and fauna and projects which have sustainable tourism and engaging local communities at their heart. What unites all projects is that they are located in mountain regions, that they directly engage climbers and mountaineers as part of their solutions and seek to raise awareness about the diverse threats facing the future of the mountain environment.

WHAT PAST WINNERS SAY

“We believe that being announced as the MPA winner is a big vote of confidence from the UIAA. It is empowering and fills us with motivation to continue our work. We also believe it can inspire others to build a new way of practicing sport, and to be more responsible, inclusive and respectful of the mountain and its diverse cultures.”
Diana Alexia Gómez Cavieres, Asociación 7a Escalada, MPA winner 2022

“Winning the Award gives our work an international dimension, enhancing our project and offering us new perspectives. This important success brings a motivation to continue to strengthen the knowledge of our mountains.”
Luisa Vuillermoz, Fondation Grand Paradis, MPA winner 2020-21

“Winning the UIAA Mountain Protection Award is a huge morale boost to our volunteer team members because it acknowledges their efforts in addressing a solution to the issue of human waste in mountains. The prestige of an endorsement by the UIAA will provide a major boost to our fundraising effort.”
Garry Porter, Mount Everest Biogas Project, MPA winner 2017

Application for the 2023 Award is now open. Before completing the application form, it is important all candidates read the Application Guidelines. The application process closes on 15 May. Nominated projects will be confirmed in July 2023 and profiled between then and the announcement of the winner at the UIAA General Assembly in Trabzon, Turkey on 21 October.

2023 PRIZES

2023 MPA Winner – 6,000 euros prize money, invitation to 2023 UIAA General Assembly, dedicated press release through UIAA’s international distribution network, gold MPA logo

2023 MPA Runner-Up – 3,000 euros, dedicated article on UIAA website, silver MPA logo

2023 MPA Best New Initiative – 1,000 euros prize money, dedicated article on UIAA website, black MPA logo

All nominated projects active in countries where the UIAA has a member association must be endorsed by a UIAA full or associate member. Please refer to the list of UIAA member associations here.

“The Mountain Protection Commission’s MPA team is very excited to see what this year’s projects will bring. In these times of challenging reports from mountain regions it is a true pleasure to receive, work with, and evaluate the mountain protection efforts coming from MPA applicants. The projects celebrate and showcase the commitment, enthusiasm, and innovation that people around the world bring to protecting mountain spaces. All of us at the UIAA, along with MPA sponsor Bally Peak Outlook Foundation, encourage you and your group to submit a project to this year’s award. You will get expert constructive feedback and be showcased via the UIAA and Bally. And, since letters of support, especially from UIAA member federations, are a key part of the application, the MPA is an opportunity for your project to become well known and garner support at the local, regional, national, and/or international level even before the 2023 award is announced. Why not make 2023 the year your group applies?”
Mary Sanseverino, UIAA Mountain Protection Commission member and MPA Working Group chair

UIAA member associations are encouraged to circulate details of the opening of the 2023 MPA.

A media kit including high-resolution imagery, information about the Award, Award logos and social media posts can be viewed here.

APPLICATION

Read the Application Guidelines here
Submit your application project here
Visit the Mountain Protection Award page

PAST MPA WINNERS

2013 – Menz-Guassa Community Conservation Area, Ethiopia
2014 – Pamir Horse Adventure, Tajikistan
2015 – KTK-BELT Studio, Nepal
2016 – Mountain Wilderness, France
2017 – Mount Everest Biogas Project, United States
2018 – Community Action Nepal, United Kingdom
2019 – Alpine Leaning Project Weeks,  Switzerland
2020-21 – Fondation Grand Paradis, Italy
2022 – Asociación 7a Escalada, Peru

ThinkSport, together with the Sustainable Mountain Alliance (SMA) and the Sustainable Sport Lab (SSL) today announced a new Challenge which looks for innovative solutions that promote and enhance biodiversity conservation, with an actual or potential link with sport. The Sports for Nature Challenge succeeds last year’s Air Quality & Sport Challenge that generated viable and creative solutions for the sports world.

Click here to apply

Protecting biodiversity can help people to adapt to climate change, ensuring health and food security, with healthy ecosystems becoming more resilient to climate change. Conserved or restored habitats can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to address climate change by storing carbon. Ultimately, by halting and reversing biodiversity loss, a nature-positive world may be achieved by 2030 for the benefit of the planet and the people.

The Sports for Nature Challenge is powered by Sails of Change, a foundation dedicated to the protection and regeneration of biodiversity, created by sportswoman, investor and philanthropist Dona Bertarelli, her husband Yann Guichard, and her children. Sails of Change’s activities focus on the goal of fully or highly protecting at least 30% of global land and ocean by 2030.

“Often, we do not understand how fragile our planet is, our impact on nature, or what practical steps we can take to preserve biodiversity,” said Dona Bertarelli. “Sails of Change was founded to raise environmental awareness and to promote positive change. We’re delighted to support the Sports for Nature Challenge, which can play a vital role in spotlighting ideas, actions and solutions to help individuals and organisations become nature positive.” 

Sports organisations, startups, established companies, not-for-profit organisations, academic and public institutions and other stakeholders have until 7 March 2023 to submit here their solutions for the sports ecosystem within the following categories:

1. Impactful campaigns that promote biodiversity protection, increase knowledge and help enforce legal and statutory biodiversity requirements.
    
2. Innovative infrastructure, including architecture and infrastructure that integrate biodiversity protection, e.g. recovering rainwater; reducing waste water; building green rooftops; providing sustainable drainage systems; and phytoremediation using plants and its microorganisms to enhance soil fertility and recover contaminated soils.
    
3. Smart technology, including the application and promotion of digital solutions for biodiversity conservation, and the use of satellite data and artificial intelligence for biodiversity protection.

The Sports for Nature Challenge 2023 is particularly calling on innovative solutions relevant to the mountain environment, which is seriously affected by climate change and home to more than 85% of the world's species of amphibians, birds, and mammals, far exceeding the species diversity of the lowland.                                                                                

An expert panel will judge the entries, with the best ten applicants provided the chance to present their solution during THE SPOT (8-9 May 2023), ThinkSport’s international sport and innovation flagship event. The three selected winners will receive high visibility, financial support and the opportunity to further develop their proposals with interested parties.

ThinkSport President, Andrea Traverso, said: “Sport and nature are closely interconnected. Sport must lead by example and inspire action to reduce environmental impacts, being those linked to the practise of sport, the construction of sport infrastructure or the travel emissions from sport events. We hope that this year’s Challenge will provide smart solutions to protect nature, preserve and restore biodiversity, raise awareness and be the catalyst for further initiatives.”

The Challenge is closely linked to the Sports for Nature Framework, which was agreed to at the Convention on Biological Diversity 15th Conference of the Parties meeting (COP15) in December in Montreal. The Framework, which is a first of its kind, was already signed by twenty-three sports organisations, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as a founding partner, and the Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024. Co-created by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the IOC and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the Sports for Nature Framework aims to deliver transformative action for nature across sports, by 2030 and beyond.

Sails of Change will play a key role in promoting and rolling out the Framework, working with IUCN to deliver programmes, toolkits and training. The new Sports for Nature Challenge launched today forms part of these efforts.

For more information on the Challenge: https://thespot.ch/sports-for-nature/

Click here to apply

Are you an athlete working to tackle climate change? Enter the IOC Climate Action Awards by 31 March 2023 for your chance to win some incredible prizes!

WHAT ARE THE IOC CLIMATE ACTION AWARDS?

The IOC Climate Action Awards are an exciting new awards initiative designed to celebrate and support the efforts of athletes, International Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that are tackling climate change. It’s been developed in collaboration with three of our Worldwide Olympic Partners – Airbnb, Deloitte and P&G – which are each supporting an award (and giving away some amazing prizes and opportunities!)

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT FOR THE GLOBAL ATHLETE COMMUNITY?

We don’t need to tell you that climate change threatens communities, economies, livelihoods and lives. No industry or individual is immune – and the global athlete community is no different. With rising temperatures and an increased prevalence of extreme weather conditions it is becoming harder to practise winter sports, while summer competitions are now often taking place in intense heat and humidity.

As athletes and role models within your community, you have the power to lead by example and inspire others to make sustainable changes. And the IOC Climate Action Awards seek to celebrate that!

WHAT ARE THE AWARD CATEGORIES AND WHAT CAN I WIN?

CLIMATE ACTION X SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL

Are you an Olympian or Paralympian working to make your sports-related travel more sustainable?

Airbnb is recognising athlete action in the field of sustainable travel – whether that’s the way you travel to events, the type of accommodation you stay in, or your lifestyle choices while travelling for competitions. As a winner, you’ll receive a USD 7,500 Travel Grant, which can be redeemed on Airbnb.

Apply now

CLIMATE ACTION X INNOVATION

Are you an Olympian or Paralympian with an innovative project aimed at reducing your carbon footprint?

Deloitte is celebrating the athletes who are leading innovative projects that are designed to reduce their emissions. This could include an initiative designed to reduce your own emissions, or a creative way you have educated others about climate change. As a winner, you’ll receive tuition funding of up to USD 5,000 to enrol in an academic course in sustainability and leadership, to help you create more impact and grow your project.

Apply now

CLIMATE ACTION X ATHLETE ADVOCACY

Are you helping tackle climate change on a community level while you train towards Paris 2024?

Through their Athletes for Good programme, P&G are celebrating the athletes who are encouraging communities to take action on climate change by raising awareness. As a winner, P&G will give you a global ambassadorship and platform to promote your work, alongside USD 24,000 for a non-profit organisation that is working in the environmental sustainability area of your choice.

Examples of projects that could make you eligible for this award include awareness-raising at events or online, educating the community or your team-mates on climate change, volunteering or fundraising for an environmental charity, working with brands and sponsors on environmental campaigns, and organising or participating in beach clean-ups.

Apply now

I’M IN! HOW CAN I APPLY?

Check your eligibility for the awards on the IOC Climate Action Awards webpage, then simply fill in the application form for your chosen award. (Olympians and Paralympians can apply for more than one!)

Applications for each award are open until 31 March 2023, and you will be informed about your application status by September 2023. In addition to the individual prizes, winning athletes and organisations will be invited to an awards ceremony, where they will  be featured amongst other athletes, IFs and NOCs working in this area.

Apply today for your chance to win!