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Football For Future and Common Goal have created Fields of Change, a handbook designed to help grassroots organizations integrate environmental sustainability into their work. Reportedly the first of its kind, it compiles insights from learning sessions of nine global sport for good organizations, offering practical tools and guidance on sustainability in sport. Adidas supported the handbook’s creation and distribution as part of its Move for the Planet initiative.
Sport is increasingly being impacted by climate change with issues including freezing or flooding of community pitches, extreme heat affecting athlete’s health, poor air quality and limited access to sport for vulnerable communities. For example, in the UK, the British Association of Sustainable Sport (BASS) found that around 120,000 games are lost each year due to flooding. Additionally, a third of grassroots pitches lose six weeks to two months of the year to flooding.
“Fields of Change is a significant milestone in the journey toward sustainable sport. For the first time, community sports organizations have a resource that empowers them to protect their communities, support their environment and lead the way in climate action,” shares Elliot Arthur-Worsop, founder of Football For Future.
The training resource is designed to inspire sport for good organizations worldwide to integrate environmental sustainability into their projects and communities – while also driving meaningful environmental action. It specifically covers: Understanding Sustainability and Climate Change, Sustainability in Sport, Sustainable Infrastructure, Waste Management, Climate Communication and Sport and Sustainability Leadership.
“The Fields of Change handbook serves as a guide for us to take action, both here locally, and also collectively with other community organizations around the world. Operating in regions that are amongst the highest areas of risk of negative climate impact, we see an important opportunity for love.fútbol to take a leadership role in showing the rest of the sports industry what can be achieved if we all work together,” said Emilio Martinez, regional project manager for love.fútbol in Mexico City – one of the organizations that helped shape the handbook.
Download the handbook here (Spanish coming soon).
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