Sports have long been recognized for their ability to promote development, encourage cooperation, and foster peace. Research shows that sports can also play a key role in advancing sustainability by influencing individual behaviour and promoting eco-friendly practices. From the way major sporting events are organized to how everyday athletes engage with their surroundings; sports have the potential to create lasting environmental impact. However, many sports organizations struggle to integrate sustainability due to a lack of resources and expertise.
The MONSTER project (aMbassadors to prOmote sustaiNability in leiSure through parTecipativE appRoach) is inspired by the CERV programme’s mission to involve citizens and communities in meaningful discussions and actions around climate and the environment. MONSTER focuses on sports and sustainability, two powerful areas where citizen participation can drive real change.

MONSTER has two main objectives:

• Empowering young ambassadors with skills in sustainability and project management.
• Engaging citizens in sustainability discussions and actions through sports.

The project follows a bottom-up approach, bringing together athletes, sports organizations, and the general public in co-design processes focused on sustainability. By engaging diverse groups—including those who participate in or attend sporting events—MONSTER encourages individuals to become more aware of environmental challenges and adopt sustainable behaviours in their daily lives.

Beyond just raising awareness, MONSTER seeks to expand the concept of sustainability by involving young people and volunteers in activities that inspire broader societal change. By making sustainability a central theme in sports, the project aims to empower different actors within civil society to take ownership of environmental issues.

One of MONSTER’s key strategies is to leverage major sporting events as a platform to spread sustainability messages to a wide audience. At the same time, the project explores ways to make these events more sustainable themselves. Through a series of pilot actions (WP2, WP3, WP4), MONSTER engages citizens in designing and testing innovative sustainability practices. The best ideas will then be shared with stakeholders and decision-makers in WP5, ensuring that real change happens at different levels of society.

A crucial milestone in the project is the creation of a transnational network of sustainability ambassadors— young adults from across Europe who will work together to promote a greener future. These ambassadors will not only engage their communities but also interact with institutions to ensure their voices are heard in shaping sustainability policies.

MONSTER doesn’t stop at promoting sustainability in sports—it also seeks to influence policy and decision- making. The project will develop tools to encourage discussion, exchange of ideas, and data collection to understand the needs and priorities of citizens. One of its key outcomes will be a position paper, presented to decision-makers, to help shape future sustainability policies based on real citizen concerns and insights.

By engaging communities, empowering young leaders, and influencing policies, MONSTER aims to turn sports into a driving force for sustainability, inspiring real and lasting change across Europe.

Work performed and main activities

One of the key milestones of the MONSTER project so far has been the MONSTER Ambassadors Meeting, a two-day event that brought together 28 young participants from partner countries for an inspiring capacity- building and brainstorming experience.

During the first part of the event, the ambassadors explored ways to promote sustainable behaviours, reflecting on how individuals and communities can take action for a greener future. In the second part, they worked in groups to brainstorm ideas for upcoming pilot actions, as well as strategies for engaging stakeholders and decision-makers. The meeting fostered a dynamic exchange of ideas, allowing both participants and project partners to gain valuable insights that will shape the next steps of MONSTER.

Results and impacts

The involvement of these young ambassadors is central to the project’s impact. They will benefit from different opportunities to increase their civic participation. As they enhance their knowledge and skills in sustainability, they will play a leading role in raising awareness and mobilizing their communities. Additionally, participants will gain experience working in an international setting and collaborating with European partners, strengthening their ties to European institutions. By participating in a transnational network of sustainability ambassadors, they are not only learning but also becoming drivers of change, ensuring that MONSTER’s message reaches a wide audience and translates into concrete actions for a more sustainable future.

The MONSTER project aims to include people of all ages by raising awareness about sustainability through sports and giving participants the chance to connect with others across Europe. By doing so, it hopes to engage citizens in conversations about sustainability and inspire them to act in their own communities. Another key group involved in the project is sports organizations. They will benefit in several ways. These organizations will connect with others facing similar challenges, allowing them to exchange ideas and best practices. The project’s results will be easy to share with other sports organizations across Europe, with some findings being widely published.

These results will be also shared with decision makers as a basis for further elaborations. Moreover, decision makers will have several occasions to gather and discuss proposals, coming from civil society, to improve the sustainability of sport events, from which potential development of initiatives and approval of regulations could arise.

Key Findings

Awareness and Attitudes Towards Sustainability

The survey results indicate a generally high level of awareness and positive attitudes towards environmental sustainability in sport events. In Hungary, for example, 71% of respondents stated that they are familiar with the concept of sustainability, and 84% consider sustainability to be important in sport events. Furthermore, 82% expect athletes and sports teams to demonstrate a clear commitment to environmental sustainability. Similarly, the Italian responses show that sustainability is widely considered an important aspect of sport and that sport organizations should follow environmental guidelines and promote sustainable practices.

These results suggest that sustainability is increasingly perceived as part of the social responsibility of sport organizations and as an important element of the public value of sport events.

Participation and Environmental Considerations

The survey also explored participation in sport events and whether environmental considerations influence attendance. The results show that a significant proportion of respondents consider environmental impacts, such as waste production, energy consumption, and emissions, when attending sport events. In Hungary, for example, 56% of respondents stated that they consider environmental impacts when attending sport events, particularly those who attend events regularly.

In addition, many respondents stated that they would be more likely to attend sport events if they were organized according to environmental sustainability principles. This indicates that sustainability can represent not only an environmental responsibility but also a factor that can increase participation and public engagement in sport events.

Individual Behaviour and Willingness to Act

One of the most relevant findings of the survey concerns individual behaviours. Respondents in both countries expressed a strong willingness to adopt sustainable practices when attending sport events. In Italy, 79.8% of respondents declared that they would reduce the use of single-use plastic during events, 74.7% would bring reusable items such as bottles or bags, and 73.5% would use public transport or car sharing to attend events. Only 1.9% stated that they would not take any action. In Hungary, similar trends emerged: the most frequently selected actions were reducing single-use plastic (35 respondents), bringing reusable items (31 respondents), and using public transport or carpooling (30 respondents), while only one respondent stated that they would not take any specific action.

These results show that citizens are generally willing to adopt sustainable behaviours, particularly when actions are practical and easy to implement. However, fewer respondents are willing to participate in awareness campaigns or initiatives (27.6% in Italy and 9 respondents in Hungary), suggesting that more active forms of engagement require additional incentives or support.

Perception of Sustainability Challenges

The survey also asked respondents to identify the main sustainability challenges related to sport events. In Hungary, the three main challenges identified were waste management (35 responses), energy consumption (19 responses), and water consumption (17 responses), followed by transport emissions and environmental degradation of event locations. In Italy, similar results arose: 83,3% of participants selected waste management, 61% energy consumption. The most notable difference is in the selection of carbon emission caused by people moving, Italian respondents put it at the third place (36%). These results confirm that environmental sustainability in sport events is perceived mainly in relation to resource consumption and waste management.

Policy Priorities and Institutional Responsibility

The results clearly show that respondents believe sustainability in sport should not depend only on individual behaviour but also on institutional action. In Italy, the main policy priorities identified were reducing waste and banning single-use plastic (68.9%), promoting public and low-emission transport (63.8%), and improving energy efficiency in sport facilities (47.1%). Other relevant measures included supporting local and eco-friendly products (32.3%) and raising awareness about sustainability in sport (28.4%). Hungarian respondents identified very similar priorities, particularly waste reduction, sustainable transport, and energy efficiency in sport facilities.

In addition, a very high percentage of Hungarian respondents (95%) believe that governments should provide financial incentives to sport organizations in order to promote environmental sustainability.

Public Engagement and Awareness Raising

The survey also explored how public authorities should involve citizens in sustainability in sport. The majority of Italian respondents indicated that collaboration with schools and local communities is the most effective way to promote sustainability (77.8%), followed by media campaigns (43.2%). Other options, such as public consultations and forums, were selected less frequently. Hungarian respondents also highlighted the importance of education and communication, particularly through schools and awareness campaigns.

These results suggest that sustainability in sport is perceived not only as a technical issue but also as a cultural and educational issue that requires awareness-raising and long-term behavioural change.

Conclusions and Policy Implications

Overall, the survey results demonstrate strong public support for environmental sustainability in sport events and a willingness among citizens to adopt sustainable behaviours, particularly in relation to waste reduction, reusable products, and sustainable mobility. At the same time, respondents clearly expect structural and institutional measures, including regulations, financial incentives, and sustainable infrastructure.

Waste reduction, sustainable transport, and energy efficiency emerge as the main priority areas for policy intervention in both countries. The results also highlight the importance of education, schools, and community engagement as key tools to promote long-term behavioural change and increase public participation in sustainability initiatives. These findings suggest that sustainability in sport events should be addressed through a multi-level governance approach involving public authorities, sport organizations, local communities, and citizens. Environmental sustainability in sport events is therefore not perceived only as an environmental issue, but also as a governance, behavioural, and cultural challenge that requires coordinated action at different levels.