SEE PROJECT: A SUCCESSFUL WEEK OF EXCHANGE AT THE CREPS OF VALLON-PONT-D’ARC
The SEE exchanges: towards the construction of a toolkit for environmental education through the practice of nature sports
The aim of the Sustainability and Environmental Education in Outdoor Sports (SEE) project is to develop, through the constitution of a solid European network and an increased sharing of competences, concrete instruments for environmental education through outdoor sports. The objective is to build a toolkit giving outdoor sports instructors the keys to learning about ecological issues.
To achieve this, the partners involved in the programme are seeking to meet on a regular basis throughout the three years of its funding. Two initial discussions had already been held in Serbia and Portugal, but the last meeting in this sense was organised from 7 to 11 March at the CREPS in Vallon-Pont-d’Arc.
Committed to environmental protection for several years – through its actions, its training offers or its partnership with the Management Syndicate of Ardèche canyon (SGGA) – and hosting the European Nature Sports Centre (CESN) – an active member of the SEE project -, the CREPS was indeed identified as the ideal organisation to host this new exchange.
Reflections during theoretical workshops
In order to move forward with the construction of this toolkit, the members of the CESN invited a certain number of national experts to speak about the environment and outdoor issues. Whether it be trainers from the CREPS, the teacher in charge of the caving sports section at the Vallon-Pont-d’Arc secondary school, the project manager at the National Resource Pole for Nature Sports (PRNSN), the educational leader, the director and the elected representative of the SGGA, the member of the Conservatory of Natural Spaces or the people in charge of the Bird Protection League, they all contributed their know-how and their knowledge in terms of environmental and sports education.
In addition to these local players, the floor was also given to international specialists: the members of Trash Free Trails, for example, made their contribution by presenting their programme to reduce single-use pollution on trails by encouraging citizen participation in “outdoor adventures”. The partners of sportNI and Leave no trace were able to share techniques for organising environmentally friendly bivouacs.
Complemented by workshops and working sessions between SEE project members – and other experts from international organisations such as Mourne Heritage Trust, French Biodiversity Agency, Mistra Outdoors, Sport Ireland, EOMTB, Västernorrland Board and IPDJ – these interventions were then good ways to question how to create and implement effective common tools for sport and environmental education.
Time for sporting activities to put into practice the theoretical knowledge covered during the discussions
However, these theoretical exchanges would not have been so valuable if they had not been accompanied by practical activities in the field! In this context, the invited European partners and experts directly put their discussions into practice by participating in climbing and caving initiations in the heart of the National Nature Reserve of the Gorges de l’Ardèche. On this occasion, they discovered innovative educational tools, used daily by the local instructors accompanying them. Caving guide Eloïse Coutaz and climbing guide François Laupin led introductory sessions on their activities, learning technical sports skills while integrating environmental and heritage education.
As the meeting was placed under the sign of soft mobility, the whole of the displacements were operated with the assistance of electric bikes. The mountain bike ride to the bivouac in Gaud allowed the partners to discover the Ardèche landscape, its biodiversity, its geology and its human heritage through sport. The commitment of the CREPS instructors during this exchange also enabled the members of SEE to immerse themselves in real micro-adventures combining mountain biking, caving and a rapid crossing of the Ardèche in a kayak.
Different cultures, different approaches towards a common understanding
By alternating theory and practice, these three days of exchanges enabled us to compare different visions in order to educate as many people as possible to respect biodiversity. Each participant was able to propose, experiment or develop concrete situations to reduce the impact of our practices, make technical progress in the activity and “reconnect” with nature…
Times of exchange and conviviality strengthening discussions and cooperation between European partners
Finally, the various evenings organised – such as the welcome drink, the bivouac in /the Gaud natural area or the end-of-week meal held at the CREPS – encouraged the members of the programme to come back to the activities practised during the day and to continue their exchanges in a more informal manner. Also, these times of sharing were seen as good ways to strengthen, once again, the links between all the European partners: a considerable strength for the continuation of the project!
DON’T FORGET TO PARTICIPATE TO THE POW MOBILITY WEEK FROM MARCH 28TH TO APRIL 3RD
Fully focusing on transport and mobility in 2022, POW Europe recently launched a sustainable transport hub to start raising awareness and finding solutions on transport-related emissions from outdoor sports. So, from March 28th to April 3rd will be host the first ever POW Mobility week, engaging the outdoor community in one week of sustainable travel to bring down our footprints, raise awareness and sow the seed for cultural change.
POW: what is it?
By bringing together a community of outdoor sports enthusiasts, Protect Our Winters Europe (POW) seeks to use the passion of sportsmen and women to act in favour of the climate. Considering that the time spent in the outdoors brings sportspeople face to face with the realities of climate change, it is also appropriate to dedicate some of this time to the service of a fairer, low carbon society.
To this end, the organisation is doing everything it can to help enthusiasts take positive action for the planet: creating inspiring images, providing tools to promote low-carbon mobility, running campaigns to make the outdoor voice heard by politicians…
A week to promote low-carbon mobility in Europe
From March 28th to April 3rd, POW is organising its Mobility Week. The objective ? To bring down emissions from transportation for outdoor sports to a maximum. Everybody is welcome to participate: there is no strict rules for participating partners, but rather want to see creative and diverse actions that somehow contribute to the overall objective of emissions reductions from sustainable transport. Currently, a variety of partners taking part, such as Burton, Picture Organic Clothing, Nidecker, Specialized, Ruka Ski Resort, Virta, Bründl…
The campaign principle
The campaign of this week is focusing on actions taken by private business to engage their employees and customers with internal actions, such as car-sharing, bike days, provision of free public transport tickets etc., and on actions taken by individuals, where they can win prizes and give-aways by sharing their sustainable travel stories on Social Media, track their sustainable movement through the app Active Giving, which is linked for fundraising for POW (still looking for donations to go into the pot!) and above all learn about sustainable travel and the emissions created by transport. Companies are invited to create their own teams in Active Giving to get their employees engaged and to take part… And the main prize of the week is a Specialized E-Bike!
As side actions, we will feature the mobility actions of participating partners during the week, host movie nights with athletes showcasing their films featuring sustainable travel and possibly host a round-table to discuss the political and technical aspects of transport and mobility to outdoor areas. Throughout the week we will have give-aways for best stories and most kilometers tracked with many of our partners participating.
“TOWARDS A GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE DEAL FOR SPORT”: REVIEW OF A SUCCESSFUL CONFERENCE AT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT IN STRASBOURG
The conference “Towards a Green and Sustainable Deal for Sport”, organised by the French Ministry of Sport in the framework of the EUFP, was an opportunity to start discussions on the construction of a true European green deal for sport. All the guests present at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, whether they were institutional, NGO, Olympic committee or private sector representatives, sports or migration ministers, spoke in favour of this idea. Benjamin Billet, Secretary General of ENOS, also took the floor during the sixth round table of the day, contributing to the debate. Here is a detailed look at a conference that was full of learning and hope for cooperation.
OPENING SESSION – INTRODUCTION BY MINISTERS, MEMBERS OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND EUROPEAN COMMISSIONERS
Coming from the Czech Republic, Sweden and the European Commission, the ministers and commissioners invited to the conference announced their desire to cooperate by encouraging more partnerships within the sports sector.
Anders Ygeman, Swedish Minister for Integration and Migration, recalled that sport was one of the best ways to encourage mobility and increase interculturality, while the French Minister for Sport, Roxana Maracineanu, insisted on the need to recognise sport as a tool for education for sustainable development – taking up the results of the first meeting organised within the framework of the EUFP last February. Based on the latest GIEC report to underline the ecological urgency, she did not hesitate to consider sport as a cause, a victim but also a solution to climate change. It was in this context that she pleaded, like the other political figures present, for the implementation of a genuine European green deal for sport. In order to do this, it seemed necessary, during this conference, to define ambitious European perspectives, after having drawn up a precise inventory of the situation.
FIRST SESSION: THE TRANSVERSAL REGARDS ON SPORT AND ENVIRONMENT
1ST ROUND TABLE: THE IMPACT OF SPORT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY
In this sense, the first round table made it possible to clearly establish the link between sport and nature: it was agreed by all stakeholders that, although the sport sector is witnessing environmental degradation, it is also responsible for it. The representative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Tim Badman, echoed Yann Leymarie’s comments, pointing out that nature sports can be consumed in an unsustainable manner (carbon footprint to reach the practice sites, non-respect of natural environments, etc.). Referring to the quantity of plastic used to produce certain sports equipment or the degradation of the environment caused by over-frequentation of spots, the head of sport at Surfrider Foundation Europe (SFE) stressed the negative impact of sport on the environment.
However, their findings are not totally alarmist as they recognise the positive role that sport can play on the environment. After listening to teacher-researcher Karim Abu Omar – who pointed out that walking and cycling are an effective way of reducing urban air pollution – Yann Leymarie insisted on the power of environmental education through sport, which is increasingly recognised within European organisations. This connection between sport and nature needs to be further recognised and collaboration between states needs to be further engaged so that the sport sector engages in a profound cultural transformation and contributes to addressing the global ecological crisis.
2ND ROUND TABLE: THE CONSEQUENCES OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
This second round table, which focused on the adaptation of sportsmen and women to climate change, revealed the impact of the ecological crisis on the practice of sport (rising temperatures, transformation of previously unspoilt nature sports sites, questions about the use of artificial snow, saturation of natural areas, etc.) as well as on the organisation of major international sporting events (postponement or cancellation of competitions due to fires, typhoons, etc.).
Directly influenced by climate change, the speakers agreed that it was the duty of the sports sector to adopt eco-responsible behaviours (and in particular, to be less dependent on fossil fuels).
SECOND SESSION: INSPIRING IDEAS AND INITIATIVES FOR A GREENER AND SUSTAINABLE SPORT
3RD ROUND TABLE: MAJOR SPORTING EVENTS
The sports sector’s duty to become more eco-responsible includes a new management of major international sporting events. These events represent numerous challenges in terms of carbon footprint linked to the mobility of athletes, spectators, service providers, suppliers, etc. What solutions can be adopted to reduce the impact of these competitions?
While the existence of low-carbon labels – such as the one created by the Ministry of Ecological Transition – was congratulated, Kevin Rolland, a high-level skier who spoke at this third round table, argued in favour of setting up minimum sustainable development standards for the organisation of each major sporting competition.
4TH ROUND TABLE: SPORTS EQUIPMENT AND ARTICLES
In addition to major international events, the sports sector is also responsible for a large proportion of emissions, due to its polluting industry. This was the context in which representatives from Decathlon, Timberland, Picture Organic Clothing and the European Outdoor Group (EOG) met for the fourth round table of the conference.
The discussions were particularly interesting and brought out one main idea: we need to reinvent the way we produce, giving priority to quality over quantity and putting an end to the race for the lowest price. This should allow companies to focus on designing new types of products with a smaller ecological footprint, but also to set up a new type of economy giving the consumer the right to repair in order to avoid over-consumption and waste.
5TH ROUND TABLE: THE EVOLUTION OF SPORTS ACTIVITIES AND PRACTICES (TOURISM AND SPORT MOVEMENT)
On another scale, sports organisations at all levels can adapt to the climate crisis and push for more eco-responsibility in their field. Initiatives such as the CNOSF – the first Olympic committee to adopt an Agenda 21 including environmental measures – setting up a platform informing clubs on the steps to take in terms of ecology are, for example, a step in this direction. The underwater cleaners, who dive voluntarily into the Arcachon basin to collect waste, are also part of this approach. These are just some of the committed sportsmen and women who took part in the conference.
THIRD SESSION: WHAT PERSPECTIVES AT EUROPEAN LEVEL?
More than just the sport sector, it is also the role of policy makers to encourage change. Asking them to rely “on the strength of nature sports citizens and their environmental awareness” to drive change, Benjamin Billet, Secretary General of ENOS, delivered a strong message at the end of the conference. In order to meet the requirements of the Green Deal – i.e. to reduce CO2 emissions and give Europe the means to prepare itself to invest in research and innovation – he pleaded for public decision-makers to be inspired by the most interesting European initiatives, whatever the sector. In the field of sport, the SEE project was highlighted as a good example of cooperation and collaboration on a European scale for rapid and concrete action on the environment.
CONCLUSION MADE BY THE FRENCH MINISTER OF SPORTS
An appeal heard by the French Minister of Sport, Roxana Maracineanu, who explained at the end of the discussions that she had heard the appeal of the various stakeholders and citizens, and recognised the need to support, more widely, the development of public sports policies at the environmental level.
CALL FOR RESEARCH ABSTRACTS AND POSTERS: DISSEMINATE YOUR RESEARCH RESULTS AT EURO’MEET 2022
Held from 14 to 16 September 2022 under the central theme “Green Sports for a Greener and healthier Europe”, the sixth Outdoor Sports Euro’Meet conference aims to increase the interactivity of the event by highlighting the members of the ENOS network. Thus, in addition to the call for workshop proposals and call for nominees, the organisers are launching a call for research abstract and posters. The aim? To share knowledge by presenting the results of academic research or field examples related to the themes of the conference.
Euro’meet 2022: a knowledge-sharing objective around the theme “green sports for a greener and healthier Europe
As a meeting place for European outdoor sport stakeholders, the Euro’Meet is a unique opportunity to share knowledge on contemporary issues related to outdoor sport. If it is through participation in conferences, workshops or more informal discussions between participants, this dissemination of knowledge will also be encouraged by the presentation of posters during the event.
Indeed, Euro’Meet 2022 aims to be a real platform for the academic world to discuss recent research results and how they can be transferred to practitioners and external stakeholders: policy makers, private actors, civil society, representatives of national and regional authorities, nature sports associations, professionals, park managers, active tourism agencies…
Call for abstracts and posters: a good way to meet this objective
In this context, the organisers of Euro’meet 2022 invite you to submit abstracts and posters – either based on academic research results or highlighting examples from the field – that shed light on the conference themes. These posters will be displayed for three days at the heart of the conference venue and will be visible to the 300 people expected to attend Euro’meet 2022.
Also, while a session will be dedicated to the visit of the poster exhibition on the first day by the participants, the posters will also be accessible online, on the conference website, on the ENOS website and in the conference report.
How to submit a poster?
As with the call for workshops proposals and the call for nominees, this call for proposals involves a selection process. Thus, responding to this call – open to projects funded at all levels of the funding programme (regional, national, European, international) and to any type of project (individual and consortium) – implies creating a poster and an abstract on at least one of the conference themes.
The most relevant projects – submitted until 5 June 2022 – will then be selected and presented.
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: HOST YOUR OWN WORKSHOP AT EURO’MEET 2022
As Euro’Meet seeks to become more and more innovative, this year’s event will continue to surprise you. In addition to the pre-conference Grand Tour and the awards ceremony for the most inspiring projects, the conference organisers are also offering you the opportunity to run workshops on the theme of “green sport for a greener and healthier Europe”. The call for proposals is open, so don’t hesitate to respond!
Euro’Meet 2022: giving a central place to the members of the network
“Developing green sport for a greener and healthier Europe” will be the central theme of the Euro’Meet 2022, organised from 12 to 16 September in Silkeborg (Denmark). By bringing together the members of the ENOS Network, this event will be an opportunity to encourage the sharing of their varied knowledge on a subject close to their hearts. In this context – and as mentioned at the launch meeting – workshops will be held in the margins of the main conference.
Encouraging knowledge sharing through the organisation of various workshops
Providing additional opportunities for discussion around ideas, projects or results of completed or ongoing research, the 20 workshops – of 45 minutes each – will indeed be an opportunity to explore current challenges and debate future directions for nature sports, in relation to the Euro’Meet 2022 topic. Theoretical or practical, they could focus on scientific research, specific programmes implemented by certain organisations, policy, education, or tools and examples of good practice on the ground, around the following topics:
- Balancing Access, Activities and Protection
- Be Active, Be Healthy, Be Outdoors
- Welfare and the power of the outdoor
However, these workshops will not be organised by the Euro’Meet organising committee, but by you, the members of any organisation attending the conference! Indeed, this is the best way to share knowledge… And it’s easy if you want to lead one!
It’s up to you: send us your workshop proposals now!
While particular priority will be given to innovative and inspiring approaches for a wide audience, and to interactive formats that encourage the involvement of participants and foster intersectional collaboration, all proposals will be carefully considered.
To be eligible to host a workshop, please complete this form between 18 February and 31 March 2022. After judging the relevance of the proposal to the conference theme, the organising committee will announce the successful proposals on 10 April 2022. So be innovative, be motivated, and don’t delay in surprising us!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScNU39_VI_VmRchkMRtGo4KSUG8V0zSXBt0PpeadFwEBaregQ/viewform
LET’S SEE YOUR VIDEOS! SHOW US YOUR BEST PROJECT AND WIN THE EURO’MEET AWARDS NEXT SEPTEMBER
The Euro’Meet 2022 is fast approaching! Organised from 12 to 16 September in Silkeborg around the theme “green sport for a greener and healthier Europe”, the event will be an opportunity to highlight the actions of ENOS members in this respect. A new feature will even be introduced to highlight them: the presentation of Awards to reward projects for the development of nature sports in accordance with the ENOS Charter… And you can already enter the race!
Valuing ENOS members, one of the central objectives of Euro’Meet 2022
Seeking to bring nature into culture through knowledge sharing and the power of outdoor activities, this year’s Euro’Meet will be built around a central theme: developing green sport for a greener and healthier Europe. If you have already discovered the numerous novelties they will offer during their launch meeting, other surprises will be reserved for ENOS members!
In order to highlight their actions, the Euro’Meet organisers have decided to present Awards during the September event to reward the nature sports development projects most in line with the ENOS vision.
The call for applications is open: compete for one of the ENOS Awards!
To all members of the network – and those planning to join this year – it is time to share with us the outstanding projects and initiatives you have recently carried out, demonstrating a clear commitment to the promotion of nature sports – at local, regional, national or European level. You can therefore apply for an award in three different categories
- Green Activities for a Greener Europe: focusing on local places and spaces, this award aims to recognise inspiring and concrete projects that promote, through the creation of facilities and the education of individuals, the conservation of natural environments. Also encompassing issues related to global environmental challenges and the transition to a greener economy in light of the European New Green Deal, the award will recognise organisations that have used outdoor sports to protect biodiversity, while building good relationships with environmental organisations.
- Being active, being healthy, being outdoors: more people-centred, this award is designed to promote initiatives that have taken into account the impact – health, social and psychological – of the pandemic on Europeans’ sporting participation levels. Recognising the health benefits of outdoor activities, the award will recognise projects that have contributed, through strong partnerships or innovative approaches, to the sustainable participation of the most vulnerable individuals in these activities.
- Wellbeing and the power of the outdoors: this time focusing on policy, this category is a way to highlight urban or rural planning that develops nature sports, reduces social isolation and creates stronger and more resilient communities: examples of integrating outdoor education into school curricula, highlighting public policies carried out following the pandemic that, through the development of nature sports, pushes people to engage with their local environment…
How to apply and obtain the Award? Information and selection criteria
In order to get the award – given by the ENOS board members – you will have to fill in the application form, write an explanatory article and make a short video about the project you want to promote, before 31 May. We look forward to receiving your applications!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfm8HKvURwcxgr2GB52FG8CgWj88iHAAmdnbbQbEvUJqmkFZw/viewform
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