Sports for nature

Sports for nature

Sports for Nature aims to deliver transformative action for nature across sports, by 2030 and beyond, enabling sports to champion nature and contribute to its protection and restoration.

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Our initiative

Our initiative

Sports for Nature is a joint initiative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), International Olympic Committee (IOC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy.

It aims to deliver transformative action for nature across sports, by 2030 and beyond, enabling sports to champion nature and contribute to its protection and restoration. It provides a game plan for sports — at all levels — to accelerate and inspire others to take action for nature.

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Education & Communications

Nature protection

Nature restoration

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Sports for Nature Summary of 2023 Signatory Reports

Sports for Nature Summary of 2023 Signatory Reports

Education & Communications

Nature protection

Nature restoration

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Sports for Nature Framework

The Sports for Nature Framework was created to tap into sports’ enormous potential to take on ambitious goals and drive positive change. The Framework aims to deliver transformative, nature positive action across sports by 2030 and beyond, enabling sports to champion nature and contribute to its protection and restoration.

Sports for Nature Framework

Indoor Sports

Nature protection

Outdoor Sports

Sport and biodiversity

This guide is designed to help decision makers understand these potential impacts, and to present options for mitigating them, as well as for maximising opportunities to use sport as a way to promote and enhance biodiversity conservation.

Sport and biodiversity

Nature protection

Nature restoration

Sports for Nature: Setting a baseline

Developed by the UN Environment Programme with the support of the International Olympic Committee, along with Loughborough University and GRID Arendal, the handbook investigates and highlights the urgency, dependency and impact of sport on nature, demonstrating the opportunities already underway – with guidance and case studies to inspire and innovate.

Sports for Nature: Setting a baseline

Nature protection

Nature restoration

Urban

Sports and urban biodiversity

Investing in nature and nature-based solutions is an important pathway to address the current ecological crisis. The loss of biodiversity, with around one million animal and plant species threatened with extinction, is putting at risk our economies, livelihoods, food security, health, and quality of life worldwide. Diverse and innovative measures are needed to reverse this decline and to restore healthy ecosystems.

Sports and urban biodiversity

Indoor Sports

Nature protection

Outdoor Sports

Mitigating biodiversity impacts of sports events

These guidelines focus on the often complex links between biodiversity and sport, and highlight that sports events can also benefit biodiversity. Each event offers an opportunity to raise public awareness of the value of nature and influence attitudes towards biodiversity and its conservation. These guidelines provide an overview of the issues and risks.

Mitigating biodiversity impacts of sports events

Indoor Sports

Nature protection

Outdoor Sports

Mitigating biodiversity impacts of new sports venues

This report offers in-depth guidance on how to integrate biodiversity considerations in the development of a new venue or a temporary facility, including five checklists covering all aspects from the early planning stage and site selection to the decommissioning.

Mitigating biodiversity impacts of new sports venues

Nature protection

Nature restoration

From fields to forests: Sports’ Role in Biodiversity Protection

From fields to forests: Sports’ Role in Biodiversity Protection

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Our News

Latest insights

Green Sports Day: Celebrating the Power of Sports for People and Planet
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October 1, 2024

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Green Sports Day: Celebrating the Power of Sports for People and Planet

Birmingham County FA joins Sports for Nature!
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September 17, 2024

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Birmingham County FA joins Sports for Nature!

Nature protection

‘Sustainability is all about teamwork’ – Marie Sallois, IOC Corporate and Sustainable Development Director
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September 10, 2024

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‘Sustainability is all about teamwork’ – Marie Sallois, IOC Corporate and Sustainable Development Director

Nature protection

Deserts

Nature protection

Partnership between IUCN and the Royal Commission for AlUla to leverage sports to advance conservation efforts
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August 16, 2024

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Partnership between IUCN and the Royal Commission for AlUla to leverage sports to advance conservation efforts

Deserts

Nature protection

Education & Communications

Nature protection

Sports for Nature Celebrate Paris 2024 and Welcome 14 New Signatories
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August 8, 2024

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Sports for Nature Celebrate Paris 2024 and Welcome 14 New Signatories

Education & Communications

Nature protection

Education & Communications

Nature protection

Nature restoration

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What Sports for Nature’s founding signatories did in 2023 
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August 7, 2024

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What Sports for Nature’s founding signatories did in 2023 

Education & Communications

Nature protection

Nature restoration

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Nature protection

Nature restoration

 Q&A with Susan Gardner from the United Nations Environment Programme about sports and nature. 
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August 2, 2024

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 Q&A with Susan Gardner from the United Nations Environment Programme about sports and nature. 

Nature protection

Nature restoration

Indoor Sports

Outdoor Sports

Sports for Nature initiative shaping focus on biodiversity in sports and the Olympic movement
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July 26, 2024

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Sports for Nature initiative shaping focus on biodiversity in sports and the Olympic movement

Indoor Sports

Outdoor Sports

Ocean

Outdoor Sports

World Sailing marks World Oceans Day by publishing first annual Sustainability Report
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June 7, 2024

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World Sailing marks World Oceans Day by publishing first annual Sustainability Report

Ocean

Outdoor Sports

Sports are “part of the plan” to safeguard biodiversity
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May 22, 2024

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Sports are “part of the plan” to safeguard biodiversity