Olympics of Sustainability: Winning for Health and Planet

2026-07-22

"The Olympics of Sustainability (OofS) addresses two critical European challenges: physical inactivity (with 45% of Europeans never exercising) and environmental concerns (where 90% believe in environmental protection but struggle to take action). This innovative project creates a transformative model that embeds sustainability practices directly into sporting activities, making environmental action accessible, engaging, and rewarding. The project employs a game-based, experiential learning approach through three key objectives: increasing sports participation while promoting pro-environmental behaviors via a Green Badge reward system; establishing a scalable model for municipalities across Europe through a comprehensive ""Green Playbook""; and prioritizing social inclusion by ensuring accessibility for underrepresented groups including women and individuals with disabilities. This active, challenge-based approach transforms traditional sports into platforms for sustainability education and community engagement. OofS aligns with multiple EU priorities including the European Green Deal, EU Climate Goals, Erasmus+ inclusion objectives, and the EU Youth Strategy. The project targets measurable impacts including a 20% increase in sports participation among inactive youth, 50% adoption of sustainability behaviors among participants, engagement from 20+ municipalities across Europe, and ensuring at least 30% participation from underrepresented groups. By positioning sports as vehicles for both physical health and environmental responsibility, OofS cultivates active citizenship while providing practical pathways for community-level climate action."

Portugal, Finland, Slovenia, Spain

2026-02-01