Recent participation studies (including our own in partnership with the EOG – see more details here) show a growing interest from European citizens to access nature. Some of these are highly vulnerable environments, which are increasingly subject to pressure, and all of this is at a time when alarming reports are being released about the consequences of the unprecedented rate of climate change and degradation of ecosystems.
Outdoor participation offers accessible and extensive opportunities for citizens to connect with the natural world and improve physical and mental health and wellbeing, and that message has been at the heart of the #itsgreatoutthere campaign since day one. However, there is a big challenge in establishing how this can be done at a grand scale in a way that sustainably protects the environments that people value so highly.
‘Bringing nature back to our #BeActive lives’ will explore the outdoor sports sector’s potential to both mitigate negative impacts of outdoor sports practice and foster environmental transition and sustainable behaviours at a greater level.
This event will discuss the contribution of outdoor sports to the European Union’s long term plans and strategies to address environmental issues – protecting nature, greening our economy and reversing the degradation of ecosystems. As a follow-up to the Power of the Outdoors webinar which took place in October, one of the key outcomes will be to develop a series of policy position papers that highlight the impact and further potential of outdoor sports.
‘Bringing nature back to our #BeActive lives’ is free to attend and will run online from 13:00-14:30 GMT / 14:00-15:30 CET on Thursday 10 December. You can book your place here.
