Metković, Croatia – The DECK Project, funded by the European Commission through the ERASMUS+ Sport program, recently held its Midterm Conference during the 2024 ICF Canoe Marathon World Championships. The project, which aims to develop environmental standards for sustainable sporting events, is led by an international network that includes the Italian National Canoe Kayak Federation, the School of Sport (Sport e Salute Spa), the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies of Pisa, national canoe federations from Greece, Croatia, and Slovenia, alongside the International Canoe Federation (ICF).
The conference, hosted by the Croatian Canoe Federation (CCF), opened with welcoming remarks from Thomas Konietzko, President of the International Canoe Federation (ICF). Following the opening, the conference reviewed DECK’s first 18 months, highlighting key achievements and milestones. This was followed by two insightful panel discussions addressing the environmental impacts of canoe and kayak events, with a focus on Mobility, Accommodation, and Equipment.
The first panel, “DECK Experiences through European Kayak & Canoe Events,” explored the environmental footprint of national events, with experts analyzing various life cycle stages. A key takeaway from the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) report was that Carbon Footprint Mobility emerged as the largest contributor to environmental impact, surpassing Accommodation and Equipment. In one of the events where the LCA was applied, Mobility, particularly the transport of athletes, staff, and supporters, represented the largest share of the overall footprint, with Supporter Mobility being the most impactful sub-section.
The second panel, “Looking Forward: The Future of Sustainability in Kayak & Canoe Events,” discussed strategies to engage future generations of athletes and fans in sustainability practices, the role of supply chains, and how to create a lasting legacy of environmentally responsible sporting events. Stakeholders explored how these approaches could be scaled beyond individual competitions to influence broader sustainability across water sports.
This milestone conference marked a key moment in DECK’s journey, laying the foundation for future developments. The project’s tools and standards are designed to be replicable and scalable, ensuring long-term impact beyond its initial scope.
Watch the full conference on YouTube
