The two-day meeting marks a significant milestone in golf's focus on sustainability, with over eighty representatives from more than thirty countries discussing the environmental and climate challenges facing the sport and the possibility of developing practical, collaborative solutions. The European political context also featured prominently in the discussions, with Georg Haeusler of the European Commission and Irish MEP Nina Carberry emphasizing the important role governments play in promoting more sustainable practices in sport.
The Forum is part of a broader panel of activities led by the EGA to coordinate and promote pan-European actions on sustainability in golf.
During these sessions, the discussions focused on some of the most pressing environmental challenges facing golf, including climate action, nature protection and restoration, water management, sustainable turf management, evolving regulations, data and impact measurement, and truthful communication about sustainability.
“Sustainability is one of the most important issues for golf”
Michael Thannhäuser, Secretary General of the EGA, stated: “Sustainability is one of the most important issues for golf right now, and it will continue to be so in the future. As the representative body for European golf, the EGA plays a vital role in helping national federations collaborate, share knowledge, and respond to the environmental challenges we face.”.
“Through this Forum, we want to support sustainable approaches to turf and water management, and to nature restoration. By working together, European golf can contribute to building a more resilient future and make a positive impact on the communities around us,” Thannhäuser noted.
Delegates listened to leading figures from golf, sport and sustainability, with speakers from more than twenty countries, including European government officials, NGOs, representatives of national federations, members of the Netherlands Olympic Committee and professional circuits, and elite athletes.
Thus, Marc van den Tweel, Director General of the Dutch Olympic Committee, spoke about how golf and other sports can learn from each other and collaborate in nature conservation, as well as help each other reduce their environmental impact. The role of the European Commission's Green Sport Manifesto was also highlighted, as it provides a useful framework for sports organizations seeking to act in a more coordinated and environmentally responsible manner.
The sessions led to several important advances for the European golf sector, including:
-The launch of the Sustainable Golf Knowledge Hub, a central open-source platform that will bring together scientific data, guides, studies and examples from around the world.
-Information about the upcoming Sustainable Golf Report, a joint work of the R&A and the GEO Foundation that will collect data, knowledge and examples of leadership in sustainability around the world.
-Examples of national federations, professional circuits and grassroots facilities, such as the European Tour Group's Green Drive initiative and the Dutch Golf Federation's Sustainability Pact.
-Presentation of broader research and strategies, such as the European Roadmap for Water and Turf Management in Golf.
SOURCE: EGA
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