Sporting codes urged to take the lead on environment and climate change

Wednesday, 20 March, 2013

Five years ago, sporting codes had the health of the environment top of mind as they cancelled practices and matches due to the drought. Now, a Deakin University academic is asking them to look at the role they can take in improving the environment and get their fans to do the same.

Dr Sheila Nguyen, from Deakin’s School of Management and Marketing, is organising two Sports Sustainability Summits - one in Melbourne on 25 March and the other in Sydney on 26 March.

The conference stems from her interest in the role sport can play in developing environmental stewardship and her research in the US during 2011, where she explored the relationship between sport and the environment.

“There are immense efforts by sport teams, leagues and venues to be innovative and to improve the environmental impact they have on their communities,” she said.

“It has even got the President’s attention, with President Obama inviting key sport industry leaders to discuss strategies to combat and address climate issues.

“These were later highlighted as a priority in his second inauguration.”

Dr Nguyen said initiatives by sporting organisations in the United States included recycling and composting, sustainable development and construction and better waste management. But while Australian sport is partaking in its own initiatives, Dr Nguyen claims the industry has remained somewhat under the radar.

“There are great initiatives taking place in Australia and the conference will be a good opportunity for the American and Australian leaders to share what they are doing and, by doing so, inspire and educate others in the sport industry on how to work towards being an environmental change agent all the way from the grassroots to elite sport.”

The keynote speaker for the Melbourne summit will be the CEO of Carlton Football Club, Gregg Swann, and the keynote speaker for the Sydney summit will be Richard Griffiths, COO of GWS Football Club.

Further information on the conference is available here.