©iStock/simonkr©iStock/ZargonDesignSPORTS FOR NATURESETTING A BASELINE © 2022 United Nations Environment ProgrammeSuggested citationUnited Nations Environment Programme (2022). Sports for Nature: Setting a baseline – Handbook. Nairobi, Kenya.ISBN No: 978-92-807-3977-0Job No: DEP/2475/NAThis publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit services without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. The United Nations Environment Programme would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source.No use of this publication may be made for resale or any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from the United Nations Environment Programme. Applications for such permission, with a statement of the purpose and extent of the reproduction, should be addressed to the Director, Communication Division, United Nations Environment Programme, P. O. Box 30552, Nairobi 00100, Kenya.DisclaimersThe designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations Environment Programme or GRID-Arendal concerning the legal status of any country, territory or city or its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.Mention of a commercial company or product in this document does not imply endorsement by the United Nations Environment Programme or the authors. The use of information from this document for publicity or advertising is not permitted. Trademark names and symbols are used in an editorial fashion with no intention of infringement of trademark or copyright laws.The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations Environment Programme. We regret any errors or omissions that may have been unwittingly made.Acknowledgments:This assessment was commissioned by UN Environment, in partnership with GRID-Arendal, a centre collaborating with UN Environment. Sam Barratt, Chief, Youth, Education and Advocacy, served as commissioning editor of the project.UN Environment would like to thank Madeleine Orr, lead author of this report, Loughborough University, as well as Lorna Little and Miles Macmillan-Lawler from GRID-Arendal, Julie Duffus from the International Olympic Committee, as well as Noémie Metais from UN Environment for their valuable research inputs. Several people provided substantive support, including: Thierry Lucas, Stella Piipponen-Doyle, Matthias Jurek, Ansgar Fellendorf from UN Environment, Leigh Ann Hurt, Tim Badman from IUCN, James Skinner from Loughborough University, Russell Seymour from British Association for Sustainability in Sport, and Rony Epelbaum from GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf.© Maps, photos and illustrations as specifiedLayout by GRID-Arendal.Authors:Lead Author Madeleine Orr,1 Jack Pippard,1 Ugo Arbieu,2,3 Jonathan Casper,4 Tim Kellison,5 Jordan Howell,6 Walker Ross,7 Jessica Murfree,8 Brian McCullough,8 andSylvia Trendafilova91 Loughborough University London, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, The Broadcast Centre Here East, Lesney Ave, London (United Kingdom)2 Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt am Main (Germany)3 Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, National Zoological Park, Washington DC (USA)4 North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC (USA)5 Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA (USA)6 Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ (USA)7 University of Edinburgh (United Kingdom)8 Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (USA)9 University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (USA) SPORTS FOR NATURESETTING A BASELINE SPORTS FOR NATURE4New rules of the gameHow the world of sport can play its part for natureOur planet is out of breath as a result of our unsustainable consumption and production patterns – fueling the fires of biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change. Urgent action to conserve and restore the environment is needed, providing a healthier climate for people and planet. Outdoor sport connects us with the health of our bodies as well as that of our natural world – from the air we breathe, to the climate we train in; from the landscape we move through, to the quality of food we use to fuel our bodies. Sport is both deeply dependent and connected to nature – and thus it brings us together by reminding us that everyone has a role to play in contributing to a playing field that is in harmony with nature. Sport is a vector for unprecedented nature- positive action with its sizable player and fan base, as well as the large spatial area it occupies. To provide some perspective, football alone is estimated to be played by 265 million participants in 5735 football stadiums worldwide, and has an estimate of 5 billion fans. To give another example, there are 6112 outdoor ski areas utilised by around 400 million