Sports events, from local competitions to international championships, generate a substantial environmental footprint. The impacts can be categorized as follows:
- Carbon Footprint and Emissions: Large-scale events, especially those involving international travel, generate significant greenhouse gas emissions due to the movement of players, support staff, equipment, and numerous spectators across continents. Stadium operations also contribute through energy consumption for lighting and air conditioning, often relying on fossil fuels.
- Waste Generation: Events attract multitudes, leading to massive amounts of garbage, including plastic bottles, food packaging, and general waste, which pose pollution risks if not properly managed. For example, each ODI match during the ICC World Cup 2023 generated around 10–12 thousand kilograms of waste.
- Resource Consumption: Sporting events consume non-renewable and natural resources, including significant volumes of energy and water. Cricket fields, for instance, require large amounts of water for pitch maintenance, which can strain local water bodies. Construction of facilities also generates waste and consumes resources.
- Land and Ecosystem Damage: Development of event infrastructure can impact fragile ecosystems or scarce land. Overuse of land can lead to damage, and activities can cause soil erosion, noise, and light pollution. Pesticide use on fields can also result in soil and water pollution.
- Ozone Layer Depletion: Certain practices and consumption patterns at events can contribute to ozone layer depletion.
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