Sports for People and Planet 2026

Sport as a driver of health and environmental risks While sport is increasingly affected by environmental and health risks, it is also a significant contributor to these pressures. This creates a self-reinforcing cycle in which growth that is not decoupled from high emissions, intensive resource use and significant waste generation progressively undermines the environmental and social conditions essential for the sector’s long-term viability. Key impacts include: –Emissions and energy use: Sport’s core industries generate an estimated 400–450 million tonnes of CO2e annually, comparable to the national emissions of major industrialized economies.49 These emissions stem primarily from energy-intensive venues, including the significant embodied carbon associated with construction,50 extensive travel by teams and spectators and carbon-intensive supply chains for merchandise, apparel and equipment. As sports tourism accelerates as the fastest- growing segment of the industry, a focus on low-carbon mobility and sustainable event models becomes imperative. –Resource intensity and waste: Sport venues and supply chains involve significant environmental trade-offs across materials, water use and waste. Turf management illustrates this tension: natural grass requires substantial water and chemical inputs for maintenance,51 while artificial turf is associated with risks including high manufacturing emissions and microplastic pollution from synthetic materials.52 Beyond venues, sporting events and the production of sporting goods are highly resource-intensive, generating substantial waste streams ranging from single-use plastics to discarded equipment and apparel. In the United Kingdom alone, an estimated 100,000 tonnes of sporting goods are sent to landfill each year, equivalent to approximately 950 shirts per minute.53 Apparel and footwear manufacturing further intensify environmental pressures. Textile dyeing and finishing processes can consume between 100 and 150 litres of water per kilogram of fabric, while inadequate wastewater treatment frequently results in the discharge of toxic dyes and chemicals into surrounding water systems. Performance fabrics such as polyester also shed plastic microfibres throughout their life cycle, contributing to an estimated 500,000 tonnes of microfibres entering the oceans annually,54 contaminating water, soil and air, and posing growing risks to human health. –The impact of sporting conventions: Regulatory standards can further drive resource use. For example, professional tennis produces approximately 325 million tennis balls annually, with over 95% discarded after limited use.55 This highlights the scale of material turnover embedded in modern sport, and the importance of sport governing bodies in setting standards that incentivise durability, reuse and circular material practices. The need for integrated action and a new model of prosperity These interconnected risks underscore a fundamental reality: the long-term success of the sports economy is intrinsically linked to the well-being of both people and the planet. Achieving genuine prosperity – economic, social and environmental – will require a shift towards integrated, systems-based solutions that address the sector’s dependencies and impacts. Momentum is building through initiatives such as the Sports for Climate Action56 and Sports for Nature57 frameworks, which are establishing sustainability guidelines and standards for both grassroots and elite sport. At the same time, the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI), in collaboration with the World Health Organization, is advancing research and best practices to promote physical activity globally.58 However, efforts across the sports economy remain fragmented, often limited to specific industries or geographies. Achieving meaningful progress will require coordinated global action with stakeholders across the sports economy. Sport’s core industries generate an estimated 400– 450 million tonnes of CO2e annually. Sports for People and Planet 21