Winds of Change

Sustainability in Sailing: A New Horizon for Sports

As environmental awareness becomes a global priority, sports organisations are increasingly aligning with sustainability goals to reduce their carbon footprint. The sports industry contributes significantly to global emissions through travel, energy use and materials in equipment. However, this industry also has a unique platform to promote environmental stewardship due to its broad audience.

Sailing, in particular, has a natural connection to sustainability. It relies on the forces of nature—wind and water—meaning that the health of the environment is directly linked to the viability of the sport. For this reason, sailing has become one of the leading sports in adopting sustainability practices.

Sailing’s Commitment to Sustainability: World Sailing’s Agenda 2030

World Sailing, the governing body of the sport, has been at the forefront of promoting sustainable practices within sailing. Launched in 2017, Agenda 2030 outlines a comprehensive sustainability strategy that includes 56 targets across six operational areas: technical standards, events, training, venues and facilities, members and participation.

One of World Sailing’s most ambitious goals is to reduce its carbon footprint by 50% by 2030, in alignment with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)’s Sports for Climate Action initiative. Additionally, the body has committed to reducing its reliance on fossil fuels, cutting down the number of combustion engine-powered coach boats at events by 45%, and using renewable energy sources to power races. The sustainability agenda extends beyond the environmental impact, including social sustainability by promoting inclusivity and diversity in the sport.

Real-World Impact: Reducing Sailing’s Carbon Footprint

The transition to more sustainable practices in sailing has led to innovative approaches in race management. For instance, the 2023 Sailing World Championships in The Hague achieved a 26% reduction in carbon emissions by encouraging participants to travel by train, using bicycles for local transportation and deploying robotic racing marks to reduce seabed damage. Additionally, coach boats have been reduced significantly since 2017, marking a strong commitment to decreasing the sport’s carbon emissions.

World Sailing’s focus on decarbonising events has also extended to operational practices. For example, the organisation’s Equipment Recycling Hub initiative has been instrumental in addressing the waste problem associated with boat manufacturing. This program encourages sailors to deposit hard-to-recycle materials such as carbon fibre and ropes, which are typically disposed of as general waste.

Technological Innovation: The E1 Series and Electric Racing Boats

The UIM E1 World Championship, the world’s first all-electric powerboat racing series, is another shining example of sustainability in sports. Launched with a mission to reverse the negative impact of marine sports on the environment, the E1 Series integrates sustainability at every level.

The E1 Blue Impact Championship is a parallel sustainability competition in which teams are ranked based on their environmental impact. This league encourages teams to adopt conservation projects and use innovative green technologies, demonstrating that sustainability can coexist with high-performance sports. Fans also play a role, as they can vote for teams making the most positive environmental contributions.

Electric powerboats in the E1 Series are designed to minimise the carbon footprint by using renewable energy sources. This shift from combustion engines to electric power not only reduces emissions but also sets a precedent for other marine sports to follow.

Social Sustainability in Sailing

Beyond reducing environmental impact, World Sailing is also committed to increasing social sustainability through inclusivity and diversity. Gender equity is a core component of Agenda 2030, with World Sailing aiming to achieve gender parity in its governance bodies and events. Initiatives like Steering the Course, a global women's sailing program, and The Magenta Project, which advocates for gender diversity in the sport, are designed to attract more women into sailing.

Programs like Samoa Sailability also promote inclusivity by introducing disabled sailors to the sport. These initiatives are critical in creating a more diverse and inclusive sailing community, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

SailGP’s Impact League: A Model for Sustainable Sports

Another key player in the sustainability movement is SailGP, which has established the Impact League—a parallel competition that ranks teams based on their environmental and social sustainability efforts. SailGP has set ambitious targets, including running all events with 100% renewable energy both on and off the water by 2025. Teams in the Impact League are scored on their carbon footprint, waste management and inclusivity, and the winner of this league is rewarded with financial prizes to support environmental projects.

SailGP’s 2023 season highlighted several innovations in sustainability. For instance, the New Zealand team topped the Impact League rankings, winning a cash prize for their partner project, Live Ocean. Teams also reduced their reliance on single-use plastics and employed modular boat designs that can be packed into containers for easy transport, reducing emissions from logistics.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Sustainable Sailing

The future of sailing lies in embracing sustainability not as an afterthought but as a core principle of the sport. The leadership of organisations like World Sailing and the innovation demonstrated by series like E1 and SailGP are paving the way for other sports to follow suit. The trend is clear: sustainability is no longer a bonus but a necessity for the future of sports.

As World Sailing’s Agenda 2030 progresses, the organisation’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions, eliminate single-use plastics and promote inclusivity are setting the benchmark for sustainable sports worldwide. The focus on holistic sustainability—combining environmental stewardship with social responsibility—ensures that sailing will continue to be a sport that aligns with the global push towards a more sustainable future.

Sports, especially those dependent on the natural world, have a responsibility to lead the way in environmental conservation. Sailing, with its direct reliance on clean oceans and healthy ecosystems, is well-positioned, and well underway, to become a model of sustainability in the sporting world.