SUSTAINABILITY TRENDS
- Today, around 55% of the world’s population lives in urban areas, and that is expected to increase to as much as 70% by 2050. This is adding greater pressure on land.
- Extreme heat is on the rise. The number of extreme heat days in many golfing regions is increasing, making outdoor exercise dangerous.
- Droughts are increasing in frequency and severity. Water deficits are more common. Public concern is becoming more significant. Governments have to be seen to maximise the targeted use of limited resources towards the most essential of purposes.
- Corporate sustainability continues to increase in breadth across sectors, as well as depth of implementation, including more frequently out through sponsorships.
- There is continued pressure for government regulation of chemicals in urban areas, ecologically sensitive areas, public recreational spaces and sports grounds.
- Currently more than one million plant and animal species globally are considered threatened with extinction (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services).
SUSTAINABLE GOLF
- The number of golf courses worldwide now exceeds 38,000, occupying 147,553,000Km2 of land in 206 countries.
- On average, around 50% of a golfing landscape comprises natural and semi-natural habitats that are managed for nature. This typically includes trees, woodlands, wetlands, open water, grasslands and scrub.
- Studies are showing that:
- Golf courses can support greater diversity and a greater number of bird species than other types of urban green spaces (like parks or cemeteries).
- Courses in urban areas provide valuable ecosystem services including water filtration, air purification, pollination and cooling, improving living conditions for people and wildlife.
- In the past 5 years, the number of total golfers globally has increased from 61 million to 66.6 million (Sports Marketing Survey). There is an appetite for recreation in greenspace, and golf is providing a solution.
- Some of the highest levels of carbon emissions relating to golf stem from tournament travel and transportation (including players, spectators and haulage); golf tourist travel; manufacturing and supply of equipment, apparel and merchandise.
- Whilst globally not a large overall consumer of water, golf can be more significant regionally and locally. However, a growing number of facilities are transitioning to recycled and reclaimed sources; minimising irrigated areas (including to only tees and greens during drought periods); transitioning to more drought tolerant grass types; and with highly efficient irrigation systems.
- Thousands of courses around the world are already undertaking innovative actions to reduce the consumption of materials; to reuse and recycle; to convert green waste into compost; and to avoid waste to landfill.
- More and more courses and tournaments are increasing their community outreach and value – beyond the traditional health and wellbeing benefits of playing the sport, into wider partnerships, education, environmental projects, charitable giving and awareness raising. Acting as hubs and multipliers for sustainable communities.
SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS FOR GOLF
- Golf has undertaken significant research into key aspects of environmental impact, most notably in agronomy, water management and ecology.
- Many practitioner education programmes – formal and vocational – now include sustainability content.
- Golf is the only sport with a suite of ISEAL Code Compliant Voluntary Sustainability Standards.
- A growing number of parts of golf (associations, clubs, tournaments, developments) are utilising Sustainable Golf Indicators to track and measure performance and progress. Monitoring and evaluation is also compliant with the ISEAL Impacts Code.
- Golf has a sustainability certification system in which the verification conforms to the ISEAL Assurance Code.
- Golf has a full suite of custom built carbon calculators (for associations, tournaments, clubs, developments and players), all of which are based on the UN Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
DEVELOPMENTS
- GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf has worked alongside three major golf course architect associations to create a ground-breaking climate action pledge. This pledge looks at increasing the knowledge and understanding of golf and carbon, reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions in golf construction, increasing research and innovation and focusing on promoting positive actions integrated in golf developments.
- GEO developments have battled against global habitat loss by creating over 582ha of native habitat over 18 projects across 11 countries.
- GEO developments have protected over 1,500 hectares of open space across 18 different countries, helping to slow rapid urbanisation and protecting green and open spaces for people to enjoy.
