Harnessing Sport for Sustainable Development Goals and Climate Action: A Vanuatu Case Study
Towards a Pacific Island Sociology of Sport
ISBN: 978-1-83753-087-8, eISBN: 978-1-83753-086-1
Publication date: 10 October 2024
Abstract
This chapter explores the critical role of sport in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the South Pacific context, focusing particularly on socio-economic and environmental challenges, with an emphasis on climate change action. We explored how sports, and education through sports, can contribute to climate action in Vanuatu and other Pacific Islands. Vanuatu serves as a case due to its shared vulnerabilities with many Pacific Islands, such as a small economy heavily dependent on climate-sensitive sectors like tourism and agriculture, reliance on natural resources for livelihoods, a young population and substantial foreign aid dependence. Additionally, Vanuatu has well established and accessible policies on sports, sustainable development, climate action and youth engagement. Given its climate vulnerability, Vanuatu places significant emphasis on sustainable development practices and policies. We examined the alignment between Vanuatu's sport policies and SDGs-related policies, underlining the necessity for policy coherence to harness sports as a force for sustainable development. This chapter serves as a valuable resource for scholars, policymakers and practitioners interested in the dynamic relationship between sport and the SDGs in the Pacific Islands, offering valuable insights and recommendations for harnessing sports as a tool for promoting sustainable development in this region.
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Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements
We are very grateful for the excellent work by the editor. Without her flexible, caring and understanding approach, we would not have been able to finish this chapter. We also would like to thank two anonymous reviewers for their very helpful comments which have improved our chapter.
Citation
Wanner, T. and Siefken, K. (2024), "Harnessing Sport for Sustainable Development Goals and Climate Action: A Vanuatu Case Study", Kanemasu, Y. (Ed.) Towards a Pacific Island Sociology of Sport (Research in the Sociology of Sport, Vol. 22), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 205-224. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1476-285420240000022011
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2024 Thomas Wanner and Katja Siefken. Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited