UNEP and University of Oxford unveil playbook to cut sports industry’s impact on nature

The world of sport is increasingly being called to the frontlines of environmental responsibility. In response, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with the University of Oxford, has released a practical guide to help sports organisations assess their impact on nature.

Titled Sports for Nature: A Brief Guide on Calculating the Impacts of Nature, the briefing note outlines a six-level system that collaboration organisations of all sizes and capabilities can use. Whether you're a local football club or an international governing body, the guide helps you begin where you are and build from there.

Each tier introduces progressively deeper methods of assessing biodiversity impact. At the entry level, organisations can start with simple risk identification. Those with greater resources can work their way toward a complete analysis of supply chains and infrastructure. The goal is to encourage measurable progress while being mindful of capacity and expertise.

Joseph Bull, Associate Professor in Climate Change Biology at Oxford and the lead researcher behind the guide, explains that the expectations placed on sports organisations are evolving. It's no longer enough to focus on direct emissions or local waste. Now, stakeholders want these organisations to take a serious look at how their operations, from procurement and logistics to events and infrastructure, affect ecosystems and biodiversity.

“The idea with this guide was to give sports organisations of any size, even those just starting to look at biodiversity or nature as an issue, different levels of engagement depending on their size, resources or amount of expertise in-house,” he says. 

The guide is partly inspired by Oxford’s own experience auditing its institutional impact. During that process, the team discovered that certain areas, such as laboratory operations, had a significantly greater impact on the environment than initially thought. That insight helped shape the guide’s tiered structure, ensuring it could apply to both simple and complex setups.

One of the most forward-thinking aspects of the guide is its alignment with current and upcoming regulations. Larger sports bodies, especially those operating across borders, are increasingly required to report on biodiversity impact. Frameworks like the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), and the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) are making this reporting the new standard.

Interestingly, the guide encourages sports organisations to build on their existing carbon tracking. Since many are already monitoring emissions, that data can be a gateway to understanding broader biodiversity risks. By linking carbon with habitat or species impact, organisations can develop a more holistic picture of their environmental footprint.

Crucially, the early steps in the guide are designed to be accessible. Smaller organisations can carry out initial assessments in-house, using simple tools to map out key activities and locations. These steps require minimal technical expertise but can lay a strong foundation for future action.

As organisations scale up their efforts, they may need help from ecologists or biodiversity specialists, particularly when assessing complex global operations or planning large infrastructure projects.

“It is recommended that larger and better-resourced signatories of the Sport for Nature Framework work to get to at least Tier 3 within their first 12 months of joining the initiative so that the intention of signatories correlates with measurable and meaningful action,” Dr. Bull adds. 

Signatories of the Sports for Nature Framework can also access a self-assessment tool. This helps them understand their relationship with nature and build targeted action plans based on identified pressures and priorities.

Meanwhile, collaboration across the sector is growing. World Sailing, for example, is working with the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa on an EU-funded project called BENCHES, which aims to develop a biodiversity impact tool tailored for sport.

The guide also points to potential support from the Nature Positive University Network, which could offer expert advice to help sporting organisations set baselines and define concrete conservation goals.