UCI Sustainability guidelines
IOC / UCI
Details
As part of its commitment to uphold the five principles of the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) is aiming to make cycling one of the most sustainable sports in the world by increasing the positive environmental, social and economic impacts of its operations and activities.
As part of its strategy, the UCI published its Sustainability Guidelines to provide simple, practical and essential information on key aspects of sustainability for the sport of cycling.
As part of its commitment to the goals of the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework and the Race to Zero campaign, the International Biathlon Union (IBU) aims to reduce the carbon footprint of biathlon by 50% by 2030 and become net zero by 2040. Managing a sport’s carbon footprint requires measurements on various levels.
In an increasingly digital world, the carbon footprint of digital services is not insignificant but it is poorly understood. There is little information available about the environmental impact of technology and digital services in general, and sport is no exception.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) established planet and prosperity as two of the pillars of its Sustainability Strategy. These pillars set priorities to ensure the future of hockey through continuous sustainable innovation, which can generate more income and thus the growth of the sport. A ground-breaking initiative in this regard is “Big Stadium” Hockey: temporarily transforming existing venues normally used for other sports into hockey venues for international matches. In hockey, permanent artificial turf installation has typically been required to achieve the high-performance standards of elite-level competition, for example, ensuring that the surface is perfectly flat so that the ball runs true across it. However, the new capability to temporarily install artificial turf that is up to the required standards, and in just three days, has become a game-changing opportunity for the sport.
The "As Sustainable As Possible" (ASAP) project was launched in 2020 as a three year mentorship programme on sustainability matters. Co-funded by the European Union and carried out in close cooperation with the IOC, the project had the goal for the “mentee” NOCs (Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary) to adopt guidelines, recommendations and best practices from the “mentor” NOCs (Germany, Denmark and Finland) in order to develop integrated sustainability strategies in their organisations.
The NOCs have been tracing and documenting their progress throughout the entire journey, in order to provide a roadmap with concrete actions and support other NOCs in the development of their own sustainability strategies.
After almost three years of intensive work in the framework of the project (and the many more years of efforts on sustainability in the case of the mentors), the ASAP team has great results to share and exchange with other sports organisations.
With climate change affecting all aspects of society and impacting rugby communities around the world, World Rugby is taking the relevant steps to minimise negative impacts while adopting positive actions. The Environmental Sustainability Plan 2030 is a tangible roadmap for tackling environmental issues, setting out what World Rugby believes its sport can and should do to contribute to a more sustainable society.
All the commitments presented apply to World Rugby’s three spheres of responsibility: as an organisation (daily activities), as an owner of major events (Rugby World Cup, Rugby World Cup Sevens and other tournaments), and as part of its leadership role as the International Federation that governs, supports and looks to inspire its 132 national federations, six regional associations and other stakeholders from the international rugby family across the globe.
Background:
Formula E is a single-seater electric car racing series and it holds FIA world championship status starting in 2020. Developed by FIA president Jean Todt and Spanish billionaire Alejandro Agag, who is also the current chairman of Formula E Holdings, the series aims to reduce the carbon-dioxide emissions within the racing industry.
Formula E represents an innovation in the motorsport industry, as they are the first electric street racing series.
Supporting Elements:
Airly partnered with Formula E over the course of the Berlin E-Prix weekend in August 2021.
Airly provided a number of air quality monitors to Formula E for their 2021 Berlin E-Prix. These monitors measured real time concentrations of particulate matter and gases (NO2 and O3).
These monitors were installed around Templehof Airport Street Circuit in a number of areas, in hospitality tents, in several of the garages for teams and around the track.
The data that the sensors collected was then fed to fans live via the Formula E app and around several screens which were located at the event in an effort to educate and engage fans.
Results and Benefits:
It highlighted the importance of mapping our air pollution and the necessity of monitoring in order to understand when pollution exceeds safe limits.
This formed part of Formula E’s wider ambitions to draw attention to air pollution and advance innovations in sustainability. It was also timed alongside the UN’s International Day of Clean Air. Electric vehicles, which are a core part of Formula E’s DNA, are a significant way to contribute to reducing air pollution.
The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has introduced a practical guidebook which provides guidance and support to FIA stakeholders and members to increase their sustainability performance in delivering events.
The “FIA Introductory Guide for Sustainable Events” has been designed to provide event organisers with the technical support and guidance to identify simple and clear actions for improving their sustainability performance. The focus is on small actions that can lead to significant changes allowing for a practical approach that can be applied to events of all sizes.
The guidelines are also in close alignment with the requirements of the FIA’s Environmental Accreditation Programme.
The application of the guidelines is meant to lead the user to achieve a two-star level, the second of a three-tiered accreditation system.The guidelines are structured around six key impact areas:
- Energy use. Including identifying the sources, measuring use and targeting.
- Air Quality & Transport. Commonly considered the main source of emissions, the attention is centered on reductions and efficiency.
- Waste Management. Focusing on reducing, reusing and recycle in order to build a successful waste management plan.
- Water & Biodiversity. Providing access to fresh drinking water to participants and preventing any potential harm or disruption to natural habitats while protecting and educating on its importance.
- Supply Chain. By recognising the power over the supply chain, organisers can align with suppliers and sponsors that follow the sustainable vision of the event.
- Social Responsibility. Driving social and economic benefit to local and regional communities, involving its people, businesses and authorities.
BENEFITS
- The creation of guidelines for sustainable events can serve both externally and internally, guiding the organisation of all types of events in a more sustainable way.
- Having a guide for sustainable events can serve as an entry point for more advanced programs, such as the FIA Accreditation programme, driving both awareness and practical action points.
- FIA can share the environmental awareness in a user-friendly way which helps the FIA to fulfil its required goals and environmental targets.
Click here to download the case study
The IOC is committed to building a better world through sport. As outlined in Olympic Agenda 2020+5 and its Sustainability Strategy, the IOC follows a responsible sourcing approach by which the sourcing of its products and services is carried out with environmental, social and ethical considerations in mind.
Through this approach, the IOC aims to prevent value chain-related risks, while using its influence to promote higher levels of environmental and social responsibility across its value chain. Our approach to responsible sourcing consists of the following three pillars:
- Policy Framework
- Due diligence process
- Ongoing remediation
The Carbon Fibre Circular Demonstration Project is a multi-sport collaboration with the aim of engaging with equipment end users.
The Carbon Fibre Circular Demonstration Project is being run by the World Sailing Trust, the charitable organisation affiliated to World Sailing, as part of their Planet key focus area, ensuring sailing has a lasting positive impact and that the planet’s waters are protected and safeguarded.
Supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), multi-sport collaboration has been a key driver of this project – across both International Federations and sports equipment manufacturers with the aim of engaging with equipment end users.
Working with World Sailing and the International Biathlon Union, supported by Wilson Sporting Goods, the alliance includes International Tennis Federation (ITF) and Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) as well as sports equipment manufacturers Starboard, SCOTT Sports and OneWay, who are collaborating to support an innovative and disruptive programme based on the reuse of carbon components within the sports sector.
The alliance is working with Technical Lead Lineat Composites with assistance from the research department of the University of Bristol based at the National Composite Centre in Bristol, on a demonstration project to show how it is possible to reclaim broken/failed carbon components from a particular sports sector through a novel reclamation process that realigns the fibres into uni-directional prepreg tapes utilising the innovative HiPerDiF process system.
New technical carbon tapes will then be supplied to component manufacturers within the alliance to integrate into new technical components for reuse. A typical example would take a broken carbon bike component and utilise the fibres to make new tapes and use them in a second life in a carbon ski pole, a sailing component, or a tennis racket.
Carbon fibre is a high performing material used in a variety of industries. Weight and strength properties have resulted in the material being widely used in sport equipment, especially in elite level competition. The use of the material is growing, and sport represents the third largest user of the material behind aerospace and the wind turbine industry.
However, carbon fibre cannot be remelted and recycled like aluminium and, to date, no sustainable end of life solution has been available for carbon fibre.
The project looks at taking the broken component, realigning its fibres, and then reusing that carbon fibre to make a new component. The process, not dissimilar to a high-tech paper making process, produces carbon fibre tape that early results from this demonstration project show are, in some cases, better than the original virgin fibre.
The manual R&D machine based at the National Composite Centre allows Lineat Composites and the research team from the University of Bristol, to align carbon fibres manually, but the machine in next stage of the process will allow Lineat to commercialise and align around 80 billion fibres daily, which when placed in a line will go around the world three times.
Dee Caffari, Chair of the World Sailing Trust, comments:
“Collaboration and alliance has been a key driver in this project. We know that sport generally has a very high use of carbon-fibre, particularly within the high-end performance sport. However, the usage of carbon-fibre in some other industries is even greater. This demonstration project has been a first step and we are now keen to join with other sports and other industries to develop the next stage of this process.”
Sky published a case study revealing that Game Zero, our Premier League match against Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in September, achieved net zero carbon emissions.
The Club and Sky, working alongside independent carbon specialists RSK and Natural Capital Partners, set the target of hosting the world’s first net zero carbon football game at an elite level, while also aiming to inspire fans to reduce their own carbon footprint.
Net zero was achieved by first measuring the baseline emissions of a match held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium then lowering those emissions as much as possible and offsetting any that could not be reduced with the support of Natural Capital Partners, through a community reforestation project in East Africa, which removes carbon emissions from the atmosphere.
How emissions from Game Zero were reduced:
• Players arrived at the stadium on coaches powered by green biodiesel which helped lower squad travel emissions by over 80 per cent.
• Fans walked 36,000 miles and drove 225,000 miles in electric or hybrid cars to and from the game.
• Everything at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (including heating and cooking) is powered by 100 per cent renewable energy – electricity and green gas.
• All food served inside the stadium is locally and sustainably sourced with 94 per cent more vegetarian and plant-based meals sold at this match, compared to the baseline game.
• Sky achieved a 70 per cent reduction in emissions from the Sky Sports production crew covering the match.
Daniel Levy, Chairman, Tottenham Hotspur, said: “We are extremely proud to have been involved with Game Zero, working alongside Sky to utilise our collective platforms and show leadership on a key issue that is affecting us all. We thank our fans for their support of the initiative and taking such positive actions around the matchday. It is important to note that none of the measures that were implemented around Game Zero were a one-off – we continue to assess all of our operations and identify ways to reduce our carbon footprint as a Club moving forward.”
Jonathan Licht, Managing Director at Sky Sports, said: “We hope that Game Zero is the first of many major net zero carbon sporting events and will inspire long-term change. At Sky Sports, we’re committed to minimise our impact on the environment and use the power of sport for good.
By sharing our findings, we want to inspire football clubs, sports organisations, athletes and fans across the world to reduce their own carbon impact.”
Ahead of Game Zero, Sky worked with carbon accounting specialists RSK to measure the carbon emissions created by a Premier League match held at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, helping to determine reduction opportunities, highlight the more difficult emission sources and track progress.
Creating a baseline enabled the Club and Sky to assess easy wins and tougher challenges of achieving net zero. This universal formula can now be used again and again to consistently measure and reduce carbon emissions at major events.
Sky worked with long-term partner Natural Capital Partners, the leading experts on carbon neutrality and climate finance to offset Game Zero’s remaining emissions through a VCS and CCBA verified community reforestation project in East Africa.
The project supports smallholder farmers to source, grow, plant and nurture native and productive trees on their land, which remove carbon from the atmosphere as they grow, and provide alternative sources of nutrition and livelihoods to the farmers.
Last week, Davinson Sanchez joined children from Rowland Hill Nursery School to help plant trees donated by the Club and Sky on a green space nearby Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. A mixture of American Sweetgum, False Acacia and Silver Birch are now in place at a site identified by Friends of the Earth and Haringey Council on White Hart Lane.
Passionate About Our Planet
Tottenham Hotspur was named the Premier League’s greenest club following a study carried out by the UN-backed Sport Positive Summit, with a range of sustainable measures implemented across our operations, including:
• 100 per cent renewable energy and Zero Scope 2 emissions at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with LED lighting (including floodlights) and high efficiency building services systems in place to reduce energy use.
• A ‘zero to landfill’ waste management programme, with clear recycling instructions for fans on its bins, as well as a reusable beer cup scheme.
• Single-use plastic reduction measures in place across the Club – players drink water from cartons, food is served in recyclable packaging with wooden cutlery, and even beer keg caps are recycled at the stadium.
• All food served inside the stadium is locally and sustainably sourced, with plant-based options available across all outlets and in Premium areas.
• Significant investment into our local transport infrastructure with the stadium served by four train stations and a free matchday shuttle bus. There is also provision for 180 bikes to be parked nearby the stadium, with our security policy allowing for equipment such as helmets, puncture kits and removable seats to be taken into the stadium.
• Water consumption minimised with waterless urinals and low flow fittings and fixtures.
• An ecological habitat established at our Training Centre, including an organic Kitchen Garden; hundreds of new and semi-mature trees and tens of thousands of new plants and hedgerows; bug hotels and bat houses; wildlife ponds; green roofs to capture and re-harvest rainwater; solar panels and air source heat pumps.
• The Nike shirts that players wear on the pitch and the replica jerseys for fans to buy are constructed with 100 per cent recycled polyester fabric, which is made from recycled plastic bottles.
We are a proud signatory of the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, which calls on sporting organisations to acknowledge the contribution of the sports industry on climate change and a collective responsibility to strive towards climate neutrality for a safer planet.
Alongside Sky, the Club is also a founding partner of Count Us In – an unprecedented global movement aiming to mobilise one billion people to act on climate change – a member of the British Association for Sustainable Sports (BASIS) and the first sports team to become a member of Products of Change – a global educational hub aimed at driving sustainable change across consumer product markets and beyond.
Our Official Battery Technology Partner, VivoPower International PLC, has completed feasibility studies to assess initial opportunities for sustainable energy solutions at both Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the Club’s Hotspur Way Training Centre in Enfield. The Club and VivoPower are now exploring the potential of moving forward with the implementation of one or more SES projects.
For further information, please visit the dedicated Passionate About Our Planet page.