Italian sailing launches the first life cycle assessment of a sailing event: a new global standard for sustainability thanks to a project by the Italian Sailing Federation (FIV) and the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies
Italian sailing takes a step forward towards environmental sustainability thanks to the We Sail for a Better Future project: the result of collaboration between the Italian Sailing Federation (FIV) and the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, the project aims to carry out the first Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a sailing event, setting a new benchmark for the responsible management of sporting competitions.
We Sail for a Better Future involves the Sant'Anna School with the research group of the Institute of Management, coordinated by Tiberio Daddi, associate professor of Economics and Business Management, who provides scientific support through environmental assessment and methodological development.
Environmental vulnerability: a challenge for the sustainable management of sporting events
Few sports depend on the environment as much as sailing: water quality, climate change, biodiversity and wind stability directly affect both sporting performance and the safety of those involved. Thanks to the We Sail for a Better Future project, this vulnerability is transformed into a strategic lever: using sailing as a laboratory for sustainability that is measurable, replicable and based on scientific evidence.
The initiative is in line with World Sailing's 2030 Sustainability Agenda, the UNEP Sports for Nature and Sports for Climate frameworks, and the European Commission's Work Plan for Sport. The central innovation lies in a comprehensive approach that combines literature reviews, analysis of international best practices and a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) of a pilot event.
The pilot event: the Italian Youth Championships on Lake Garda
The first test bed for the project was the Italian Youth Championships (Single Class) on Lake Garda, the country's most important competition for under-19 and under-17 sailors, which attracted over 600 competitors from all over Italy. FIV and Scuola Sant'Anna identified twelve good sustainability practices and customised them to suit the logistics and scope of the Garda event.
The main sustainability measures included the elimination of single-use plastics and the dematerialisation of communications; the deployment of electric GPS-guided buoys that mark routes without anchors that damage lake beds; electric support and logistics boats that replaced traditional fuel-powered boats; sustainable catering with biodegradable tableware from renewable sources such as wheat bran and FSC-certified wood; recharging stations and reusable bottles for water supply; and partnerships with local bicycle rental services to encourage active transport; educational activities in the FIVillage on the circular economy and ecosystem protection.
Towards national guidelines
The results of the project are being incorporated into a set of national guidelines for the sustainability of sailing events, to be published in 2025. These will be practical tools that are easy to understand and applicable to both large events and small sailing club regattas.
The FIV plans to disseminate the guidelines widely through workshops, training materials and its own digital channels, with the aim of reaching over 700 affiliates. Joint activities with World Sailing and other international federations are also planned to extend the model to other marine sports.
