DGV signs Green Sports Manifesto
The German Golf Association has signed the EU Green Sports Manifesto, which was presented at an EU conference on September 11 in 2025. It is aimed at all sports organisations and public institutions in Europe and calls for a systematic strengthening of sport’s contribution to environmental and climate protection. “By signing the EU Green Sport Manifesto, we are consciously taking responsibility and sending a clear signal beyond golf,” says Alexander Klose, Director of Services, Legal Affairs and Communication at the DGV. “As one of the first sports associations to take this step, we want to show that sustainability and sport are inextricably linked. Golf has special prerequisites – large areas, technical expertise, and a close connection to nature – to make concrete and measurable contributions to environmental and climate protection.”
For the German Golf Association, the commitment to the EU Green Manifesto also documents the association’s longstanding commitment to sustainability. Through projects to promote biodiversity, advisory services, and guidelines for golf clubs and regional golf associations, the DGV has been encouraging golf courses to use resources responsibly for years. In addition to the DGV, the European Golf Association, the Spanish Golf Association and the Portuguese Golf Association have already signed the EU Green Sports Manifesto.
More awareness of emissions in sport
The reasons for this are obvious: sporting events, infrastructure, and sports travel cause considerable emissions, as do waste and energy consumption at sports facilities. At the same time, sport can reach millions of people with its reach, initiate changes in behavior and make good examples visible. The EU Green Sports Manifesto is therefore an attempt to raise awareness of climate protection through sport.
The signatories of the manifesto make five voluntary commitments.
- Establishment of clear governance structures for sustainability.
- Development of environmental strategies explicitly aligned with the goals of the European Green Deal and international frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
- Annual measurement and transparent reporting on progress to make impact visible and enable accountability.
- Promotion of cooperation and knowledge exchange in the field of “Green Sport”, for example, through networks, joint projects and exchange of good practice.
- Development and dissemination of practical instruments, guidelines and tools that support associations and organizers in the ecological transformation.
The principle of solidarity is particularly emphasised: regardless of size or budget, from small clubs to major events, every player can contribute. The signing is also a signal to sponsors, fans and the public that sport takes responsibility and its role as a model for a sustainable future seriously.
