Green Sports Alliance Update 2018

By Marsha W. Johnston, BioCycle

As the Green Sports Alliance (Alliance) enters its ninth year, the sports greening movement is experiencing increased international collaboration, domestic expansion and new practices and products that could make sporting operations intrinsically sustainable. Among the most recent examples is the establishment of its first international sister organization, in Japan. Although the Alliance’s membership already included teams, leagues and venues and individuals from 14 countries, Green Sports Alliance Japan is the first nation-member — and helps lay the groundwork for more global collaborations.“There are countries and regions that are advanced well beyond America when it comes to climate change,” says Alliance Executive Director Justin Zeulner, noting that the nations party to the Paris climate accords have adopted more advanced laws and standards, and some have similar sports greening organizations. They use those organizations, such as the U.K.’s British Association for Sustainable Sport (BASIS) and Australia’s Sports & Environment Alliance, he adds, “to connect people” to those laws and standards. With establishment of Alliance Japan, he adds, “there may be a chance to establish other sister organizations in Korea and India. The EU Sports Commission is interested in a Green Sports Alliance Europe, as is the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).”Read the full article here.