Hockey Australia reveals its new Climate Sustainability Strategy

Hockey Australia launched its first Climate Sustainability Strategy at the National Sports Convention held in Melbourne last week. The strategy outlines Hockey Australia’s desire to embrace change and protect its environment for future generations as the sport sector continues to feel the impact of climate change.

With increased rainfall, higher sea levels, poor water quality and other extreme weather events disrupting training, matches and tournaments and impacting venues and facilities, Hockey Australia, in support of its member associations and clubs, has developed a plan that commits to sustainability efforts to protect the future sporting environment.

In doing so, Hockey Australia is one of only eight Australian sporting organisations with 280 signatories globally to commit to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, pledging to work toward a 50% reduction of Green-House-Gas emissions by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2040.

To ensure Hockey Australia achieves these UN targets, the strategy includes five key principles which underline four action pillars:

• Undertake systematic efforts to promote greater environmental responsibility (Move beyond ad-hoc environmental practices to a comprehensive incorporation of climate change and its impacts into business strategy for operations, events, procurement, infrastructure and communications)

• Reduce overall climate impact

• Educate for climate action

• Promote sustainable and responsible consumption

• Advocate for climate action through communication

David Pryles, Chief Executive Hockey Australia notes “the launch of Hockey Australia’s Climate Sustainability Strategy starts our journey towards tackling one of the biggest challenges facing the future of our sport. We’re looking forward to working with our member associations, clubs and the hockey community as we strive to protect the environment of our sport.”

Melissa Gmeiner, Social Impact & Sustainability Manager of Hockey Australia added “our Sustainability Strategy is about starting small and allowing Hockey Australia to look at what we can directly impact and control while also looking at what we can implement to influence our community and our members. We have a great opportunity as an organisation to inspire and lead positive change through our influence and platform.”

Read the full strategy here 

Image top: Launch of Hockey Australia climate strategy At 2024 NSC; Images centre and below extracted from Strategy report.