Examples of sustainable sporting events: Women's EHF EURO 2022 and Planica 2023

Since 2015, Slovenia has been taking care of the sustainable management and the development of destinations and the tourist offer through the Green Scheme of Slovenian Tourism. Within destinations, events play an integral part of the offer, which is why sustainable approach is crucial.

The organizers of two sporting events, which will take place in Slovenia within the next two years, have successfully integrated sustainability aspects, which are also highlighted by the Slovenian Tourist Board. Since the main 2022-2023 promotional theme is sports tourism and active outdoor holidays, including sports events and preparations, the Slovenian Tourist Board also actively participates in these events. This is how it pays even more attention to the development of this important and at the same time promising tourist product of Slovenian tourism, helps connect key stakeholders in sports and tourism and contributes to creating a coordinated and sustainable set of measures, which will result in events that will bring long-term economic, social and promotional effects.

Women's EHF EURO 2022

The European Women's Handball Championship (Women's EHF EURO 2022) will take place between 4 and 20 November at venues in Slovenia, Northern Macedonia and Montenegro. In Slovenia, this event will have a strong sustainability note, as it will be the first sporting event in Slovenia with a professional sustainability manager and the so-called Green Team. The organizers want to take an important step forward in the organization of sustainable sporting events and use the communication potential of the championship to raise awareness and promote changes in the behaviour of individuals and organizations in the direction of sustainable development.

With this in mind, they accept the commitment that the Women's EHF Euro 2022 will be a sustainable sporting event with a special focus on the empowerment of women in sports, which will contribute as much as possible to:

• the protection of natural resources (water, land and air) and climate,
• the well-being of the local community and wider society,
• empowering women in sport,
• involving local communities and local stakeholders,
• the health and safety of spectators and participants,
• accessibility and inclusion for all and
• positive legacy of the event in the form of a handbook for organizing sustainable sporting events.

The goal of the organizers is to set a platform and scale for all future organizers of major sporting events in Slovenia. From the perspective of 12 areas with an impact on society and the environment (water, food and beverage, waste, procurement and consumption, social responsibility, heritage, energy, communication, venue and infrastructure, natural environment, mobility, economic responsibility), the Green Team will take care of implementation of as many as 118 measures with 41 defined objectives, which concern suppliers, service providers, sponsors and the media, as well as participants, visitors and competitors.

Planica 2023 - FIS Nordic World Ski Championship

Sustainability principles will also be at the forefront in Planica, where the FIS Nordic World Ski Championship will take place between 21 February and 5 March 2023. The goal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and thus achieve national goals within the Sustainable Planica 2023 project. Sustainability aspects will be reflected in the field of mobility and in the field of communication, and will also include the reduction of biological waste from food waste.

With strategically defined goals, they will encouragesustainable and smart mobility during the event, which includes:

• the use of public transport and electric and hybrid vehicles,
• a footpath between Kranjska gora and Planica
• free transport options will be available between Kranjska Gora and Planica (the so-called "green line", hybrid and electric means of transport; renewable energy),
• the number of arrivals of visitors, competitors and employees will be counted with QR codes,
• additional measuring devices will also be installed on the roads, parking lots,
• railway traffic will be used, shuttles will be available etc.
• PM particles and carbon emissions will also be measured at all stages of the event (before, during and after the event).

In the field of sustainable communication, they will take care of:

• communication platform to show all the possibilities for arriving at the venue (buses, trains, carpooling, organized transport, appropriate parking spaces, "family" parking lots),
• measures to reduce biological waste from food waste (food management, food waste control),
• using more durable products that can be repaired, recycled and reused,
• introducing a digital platform with video content that will encourage visitors to collect green points that will bring attractive prizes,
• they will also liaise with sustainable ambassadors, organize expert consultations on sustainable practices in the context of mass events, and
• encourage local supply chains (seasonal products, search for optimization partners - 0 km).

Measures in the field of sustainability of the event organization are additionally related to achieving synergies in the domestic economy (involvement of small and medium enterprises in the environment and the multiplicative effect of connecting different sectors of the service industry). Their multilateral impact will reduce costs, as it includes the use of renewable energy and natural resources.

Photo: Ehfeuro

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