“Sustainable development satisfies the needs of the present generation without compromising the chance for future generations to satisfy theirs”
Brundtland Report (1987)
In 1992 at the UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), (Rio de Janeiro) most of the world’s nations committed themselves to protect the Earth’s environment, biodiversity, our habitat, non-renewable and natural resources.
‘It needs to be combined simultaneously with economic, social and political development particularly geared to the benefit of the poorest members of society,’ (the Olympic Movements’s action programme for sustainable development).
In the twenty-first century sustainable development, as defined above, was adopted as being central to any implementation of development plans. The Olympic Movements’s action programme for sustainable development had guidelines to ensure that this criteria was met. One of the elements included:
Improving socio-economic conditions – One such element within this objective is to place sport everywhere, with the view to encouraging a peaceful society. As mentioned on a previous blog general health can surely be improved with access to open green spaces making the conservation of open green spaces and the natural environment even more vital. It can become even more potent to the overall wellbeing of society by promoting sports activities, facilities and events, which is even better adapted to social needs.
The Olympic Movements’s action programme for sustainable development pointed out and recognised the importance of this and stated that any sport facility has to be situated in such a way as to minimize the environmental impact of the infrastructure associated with them. Examples would include housing, electricity supplies, water and food supplies, and waste disposal and processing. It sets an example of how to improve the integration of development and the environmental concepts such as sustainability, conservation and biodiversity, with the use of sports. A perfect example of this can be seen at Marsh Lane, Leyton.