Zero Emission Rides Objective

ongoing

The Covid-19 pandemic had a direct and lasting impact on sport practices and level of physical activities in Europe, where the numbers were already alarming. Indeed, 6 in 10 Europeans were totally inactive or only engaged in physical activity less than once a week according to the Eurobarometer 2018. Snowboarding, on the other hand, has gained popularity and exposure over the last decades, becoming more accessible and attractive among the youngest generations. Knowing that 1 in 3 of the Europeans between 14 and 25 years old say they exercise outdoors, snowboarding has the potential to offer more opportunities to engage in recreational and leisure sport at the grassroot level. However, no participation program can be developed without fully integrating the enormous impact of past and current snowboard practices on climate change, and vice versa. How can snowboarding attract more young participants while reducing its impact on the environment? How can the number of kids on boards increase while drastically diminishing the harm to the mountains, the carbon footprint and the overall gas emission of snowboarding? The main objective of the project is to develop innovative practices of grassroot snowboarding to increase accessibility and participation of young people in sport activities while empowering them in the fight against climate change toward ‘zero emission rides’. The consortium of partners gathers snowboard and winter sport organizations and practitioners, researchers and experts on sustainability in and through sport, and structures with skills to develop educational and raising awareness material using sport targeting the youth. The main project deliverables will be a Zero digital platform hosting Zero Emission Rides & Challenges and Pedagogical / Awareness Raising Material. This will be implemented with a massive communication and raising awareness campaign while also encouraging dialogue and Sustainability mainstreaming in the partner organizations.