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World Sailing is committing Olympic sailing to a structured approach to measuring and reducing its environmental impact. Through a global Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) project covering all Olympic classes, the federation intends to make sustainability a central criterion in future technical rules, equipment selection and strategic decisions up to 2032.
A complete life-cycle analysis of Olympic boats
The project is based on 12 months of comprehensive LCA analyses, covering the entire lifecycle of the boats in the six Olympic classes: manufacture, transport, use, maintenance and end-of-life.
The objective is clear: to precisely quantify the environmental footprint of each class in order to provide reliable, comparable and independently verified data.
These analyses will make it possible to assess the impact of materials, industrial processes, production volumes and design choices, offering a global vision hitherto unseen in Olympic sailing.
A structuring tool for future rules and standards
The results of the LCA project will not remain theoretical. World Sailing plans to use them directly in the development of future rules, technical standards and Olympic class selection processes.
Environmental impact will thus become a key criterion, alongside sporting performance, in the run-up to the Olympic Games from 2032.
This approach is in line with World Sailing's commitments under its Agenda for Sustainability 2030 and the Olympic Vision supported by the IOC, aimed at fully integrating environmental issues into the choice of equipment and organization.
A methodology shared with the marine industry
The LCA methodology, as well as the associated tools and training, will be provided by independent LCA experts, guaranteeing the scientific robustness of the project.
One of the key points is the willingness to share data: World Sailing plans to make the lessons learned from the project available to encourage fairer and more transparent standards for manufacturers and equipment suppliers.
The innovations that emerge at the highest level are expected to spread throughout the marine industry, influencing the design of leisure boats, youth boats and training fleets worldwide.
Gradual ramp-up of the system
Each Olympic class must finalize its first assessment within three months, under the direct coordination of World Sailing.
Subsequent phases of the project will extend the scope of the analysis to all Olympic campaigns, including :
- transportation of equipment,
- athlete travel,
- logistics for international competitions.
This global approach will enable us to identify the most effective levers for improvement, well beyond the boat alone.
