Environmental change, the sport industry, and Covid-19

This chapter deploys academic research and practical applications for the sport industry to overcome the status quo and enforce positive environmental change on the climate crisis. Due to the Covid-19 turmoil, it will be necessary for sport to set the foundation of a new era responsible for the natural environment. In addition to covering the effect of the pandemic’s restriction policies on sport operations and events, the chapter presents the carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions avoided due to the cancellation of the sport practices. Previous research has shown that the execution of sport events, functioning of sport facilities, and sport consumers’ traveling behaviors are the key characteristics of the sport industry that release the most significant amounts of CO₂ emissions. Given the reduced numbers of CO₂ emissions in the atmosphere due to the Covid-19 restriction policies, this chapter determines the most substantial practices in sport that could be controlled for their negative impacts on the natural environment. Pro-environmental strategic initiatives for the sport industry are proposed as a mechanism to monitor and control the sport operations that release the majority of CO₂ emissions.