The 9th World Conference on Sport and the Environment concluded yesterday(May 2nd) in Doha, Qatar, with the sports world renewing its commitment to theenvironment by framing a clear agenda for action.
The so-called Doha Declaration defined three focus areas in which todirect activities related to the economic, social and environmentalaspects of sustainable development in sport. They include showcasingthe contribution of the sports movement to sustainable development atnext year’s United Nations Conference on Environment andDevelopment (2012 Rio +20 Earth Summit)[1], engaging young people, andbuilding and strengthening partnerships between the sports world andthe UN, governments, local entities, NGOs, and others.
The Conference, taking place a year ahead of the 20th anniversary ofthe landmark 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, was attended by leading expertsin the world of sustainable development in sport. The three days ofmeetings were hosted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) andthe National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Qatar, in partnership with theUnited Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
IOC President Jacques Rogge said: “Next year marks the 20thanniversary of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and thisweekend’s Conference has made it clear for all to see just howfar we have come since then. While we can be proud of ourachievements, we have also learnt that there is no time forcomplacency. We owe it to future generations to continue to promoteour green agenda and ensure environmental sustainability in sport, andI think we have taken a big step towards that with the DohaDeclaration.”
Over 650 delegates from National Olympic Committees, InternationalFederations, Organising Committees for the Olympic Games, governmentaland non-governmental environmental organisations and educationalinstitutions participated in the Conference, making it the biggest ofits kind.
Participants discussed a range of environment-related topics,including ways to locally and globally implement the OlympicMovement’s Agenda 21[2]; how to make sports events moresustainable; how sport can help achieve Goal 7 (environmentalsustainability) of the United Nations Development Programme’sMillennium Development Goals; and the role of Olympians in promotingrespect for the environment.
“I have been delighted with the quality of this conference and theoutstanding contributions that have been made by the speakers and somany of the delegates,” said Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman AlThani, Secretary General of the Qatar Olympic Committee. “For us inQatar the theme of ‘Playing for a Greener Future’ is real andmeaningful. It reflects the concrete commitments we have made inQatar’s 2030 Vision to deliver practical steps towards environmentalsustainability.
“For Qatar and the Qatar Olympic Committee, we have been honoured toshare with the whole sports and Olympic Movement our ‘QOC Codefor Green Sport Venues’. Our aim is to collaborate with other NOCs, incoordination with the IOC, to share our knowledge of creatingenvironmentally friendly venue management.”
9TH WORLD CONFERENCE ON SPORT AND THE ENVIRONMENT COMES TO A CLOSE IN DOHA
