The commitment of the National Olympic Committees to the environment continues to strengthen through spaces for global learning and collaboration. The second ANOC SAP webinar, held on October 9, 2025, brought together 45 participants from NOCs across all continents to address one of the most pressing challenges in contemporary sport: measuring the carbon footprint. In this meeting, experts and representatives shared practical strategies to quantify the environmental impact of sports activities, focusing on data management and the implementation of effective tools that promote institutional sustainability.
During the session, participants learned from the experiences of Ante Kosic (Croatian NOC), Clément Colombel (French NOC), and Tobias Wagner (Öko Institute), who offered complementary perspectives on how National Olympic Committees can integrate sustainability processes into their organizational structure. From the need to have committed leadership to the appointment of environmental representatives in each department, the dialogue made it clear that climate action requires both political will and precise technical management.
Measuring to Transform: The Value of Data in Sports Sustainability
One of the key themes of the seminar was the importance of having a solid and structured data collection process within NOC departments. Kosic highlighted the challenges involved in organizing information for sustainability projects, emphasizing that without a clear management system, it is difficult to identify areas for improvement. Colombel, for his part, shared the experience of the French National Olympic Committee, which has made progress in creating internal environmental focal points to facilitate communication between departments and improve reporting accuracy. This internal collaboration is emerging as a replicable model for other sports organizations seeking to take real, measurable environmental commitments.
The seminar also emphasized how cooperation among international institutions can accelerate the transition toward a more responsible sporting world. The participants agreed that data not only serve accountability but also inspire strategic decisions to reduce the environmental impact of events, travel, and daily operations. In this way, sustainability moves beyond rhetoric to become a concrete practice—driven by evidence and supported by accessible tools for all levels of management.
SportCo2: A Global Tool in Service of Change
At the heart of the session was the presentation of the SportCo2 Calculator, an innovation developed by the Öko Institute and the EU Office of the European Olympic Committees (EOC), with the support of the IOC and ANOC. This tool aims to facilitate the monitoring and reduction of carbon emissions within sports organizations. Available in English, French, and Spanish, the calculator allows National Olympic Committees to measure their environmental footprint more precisely and design tailored mitigation strategies. Moreover, NOCs are encouraged to translate the tool into their local languages, extending its reach to National Federations and strengthening the culture of sustainability in each country.
To further support this process, Eva Rebmann from the EOC EU Office presented additional resources accompanying the tool: a Guide for Climate Action Officers and a toolkit with carbon reduction measures, designed to assist the daily work of sports organizations. These initiatives reflect ANOC’s vision of fostering a global knowledge network, where sustainability is not an isolated effort but a shared, scalable practice aligned with Olympic values.
