World leaders in the intersection of sport and sustainability met virtually last week at the Sport Positive Summit. The summit focused on sports business management, prioritising sustainability and the leadership opportunities that sports have to support sustainable development. Those present included Leagues, Clubs, Venues, Federations and Sports Bodies, Brands, Tournaments and Tours, Rights Holders, Associations, Solution Providers, Innovators, Government, UN Bodies, NGOs and Advocacy Groups. We were proud to see our Community Manager, Amalia de Abreu representing I AM WATER at the Youth Division of the summit called the Next Gen Summit. Amalia was a speaker on the panel discussion ‘Sport and Climate Justice’. Her fellow panelists were Ahmed Al-Shahrani, a Qatari marathon para-athlete and Sean MCcabe, the Climate Justice Officer for Bohemians Football Club. The session was moderated by Dr Jessica R. Murfree, an Assistant Professor researching the effects of climate change on sport. Here are Amalia’s main takeaways from the Summit:
Collaboration is key for future sustainable development projects in sports.
Fan engagement and athlete advocacy are powerful tools to implement sustainable development in sports and advocating for climate justice.
Authenticity of sporting bodies and businesses in their sustainability process is essential in building trust and maintaining fan engagement.
There is a sense of urgency for sports to take greater responsibility for their impact on the environment.
Engaging policy makers assist sports in minimising their impact on the environment.
Reporting and measuring is becoming ever more important in sport and sustainability.
Creating a safe space where people can talk about these issues in sport and create innovative solutions is necessary for the way forward.