North Berwick, Scotland: Golf is a diverse global sport which both impacts and is impacted by changes in climate.
In terms of impact, golf’s greenhouse gas emissions are relatively low compared to other industries, yet still enough to warrant reduction planning. On the other side, golf is vulnerable to both physical and reputational trends in climate change.
Fortunately, with accelerated leadership, golf can go on to deliver nature-based solutions to climate challenges, be a hub for innovation in business and communities, and significantly influence wider behaviour change.
Golf’s Impacts on Climate
Direct and indirect emissions, including across complex supply chains:
Climate Impacts on Golf
Physical
Social
Golf’s Opportunities in Climate Action
Beyond priority efforts to reduce direct emission, golf can also play an important wider role in the global movement.
Sequestration and Storage
Nearly 40,000 golfing landscapes with a diverse blend of vegetation that can sequester and store carbon. This includes turfgrasses and natural and semi-natural areas like woods, gorse, and flowers.
Golfers also pay to play and steward these landscapes, thus investing in nature-based solutions that can benefit local communities and wider society – not just in carbon storage, but a whole host of other eco-system services.
Wider Influence and Inspiration
Education and awareness – As one of the world’s most popular outdoor games, golf can illustrate and communicate the impacts of climate change. As well as helping to highlight environmental risks and impacts, such as coastal erosion and drought, the game can proactively promote the value of nature and climate action to tens of millions of players, staff, and spectators.
Media exposure – Golf’s media reach includes hundreds of millions of avid fans and followers. Golf can help popularise sustainability and climate action with playing and non-playing followers around the world.