Over the last few decades the power struggle between nations to win medals in major international competitions has intensified. This has led to national sports organisations and governments throughout the world spending increasing sums of money on elite sport. Several nations have indeed shown that accelerated funding in elite sport can lead to an increase of medals won at the Olympics. Nevertheless, in spite of increasing competition and the homogenisation of elite sports systems, the optimum strategy for delivering international success is still unclear. There is no model for comparing, and increasing, the efficiency and effectiveness of elite sport investments and management systems. This makes it difficult for sports managers and policy makers to prioritise and to make the right choices in elite sports policy. This book presents an international comparison of elite sport policies in six nations (Belgium, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and United Kingdom). Over 1,400 athletes, coaches and performance directors in these nations have provided information on the climate to perform at the highest level of elite sport in their country. Over a hundred criteria are evaluated and compared using a scoring system in nine sport policy areas. This book is aimed at sports professionals, academics and politicians seeking a better understanding of the factors that lead to international sporting success and seeking insights in future sport policy developments.
Over the last few decades the power struggle between nations to win medals in major international competitions has intensified. This has led to national sports organisations and governments throughout the world spending increasing sums of money on elite sport. Several nations have indeed shown that accelerated funding in elite sport can lead to an increase of medals won at the Olympics. Nevertheless, in spite of increasing competition and the homogenisation of elite sports systems, the optimum strategy for delivering international success is still unclear. There is no model for comparing, and increasing, the efficiency and effectiveness of elite sport investments and management systems. This makes it difficult for sports managers and policy makers to prioritise and to make the right choices in elite sports policy. This book presents an international comparison of elite sport policies in six nations (Belgium, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and United Kingdom). Over 1,400 athletes, coaches and performance directors in these nations have provided information on the climate to perform at the highest level of elite sport in their country. Over a hundred criteria are evaluated and compared using a scoring system in nine sport policy areas. This book is aimed at sports professionals, academics and politicians seeking a better understanding of the factors that lead to international sporting success and seeking insights in future sport policy developments.
Implementation of the United Nations Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (UN CRPD) requires countries to harmonise their legislative frameworks with it. This paper investigates the national legislative frameworks of four Asian countries to see the extent to which they provide support services in accordance with Article 19 of the UN CRPD. The UN CRPD requires persons with disabilities to have access to and choice and control over support services. To analyse the policy alignment with the UN CRPD, an analytical framework based on the Capability Approach (CA) was developed. The results show that most countries address support services, including assistive devices, only from the perspective of a social security measure for persons with disabilities living in poverty, failing to uphold the rights of those not meeting those eligibility criteria. However, while support services are inseparably linked to social security, they also are a right for persons with disabilities. Therefore, a paradigm shift is required in the approach of support services and the distributive systems of countries, from one that addresses persons with disabilities as those requiring care considered a burden, to one that considers them rights holders with equal opportunities, for which, support services are a pre-requisite.
The overall purpose of this consultancy was to support the activities under the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Programme of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) in developing the 7th pan-European environmental assessment, an indicator based and thematic assessment, implemented jointly with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The series of environmental assessments of the pan-European region provide up to-date and policy-relevant information on the interactions between the environment and society. This consultancy was to:> Draft the input on drivers and developments to chapter 1.2 of the assessment related to the environmental theme “4.2 Applying principles of circular economy to sustainable tourism”.> Suggest to UNECE and UNEP the most policy relevant indicators from UNECE-environmental, SDG indicators and from other indicator frameworks such as EEA or OECD for the environmental theme for the sub-chapter 4.2.> Assess the current state, trends and recent developments and prepare the substantive part of sub-chapter 4.2 (summary - part I) and an annex (part II) with the detailed analysis and findings.
In the Glasgow declaration (2021), the tourism sector promised to reduce its CO2 emissions by 50% and reduce them to zero by 2050. The urgency is felt in the sector, and small steps are made at company level, but there is a lack of insight and overview of effective measures at global level.This study focuses on the development of a necessary mix of actions and interventions that the tourism sector can undertake to achieve the goal of a 50% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030 towards zero emissions by 2050. The study contributes to a better understanding of the paths that the tourism sector can take to achieve this and their implications for the sector. The aim of the report is to spark discussion, ideas and, above all, action.The study provides a tool that positively engages the sector in the near and more distant future, inspires discussion, generates ideas, and drives action. In addition, there will be a guide that shows the big picture and where the responsibilities lie for the reduction targets. Finally, the researchers come up with recommendations for policymakers, companies, and lobbyists at an international and European level.In part 1 of the study, desk research is used to lay the foundation for the study. Here, the contribution of tourism to global greenhouse gas emissions is mapped out, as well as the image and reputation of the sector on climate change. In addition, this section describes which initiatives in terms of, among other things, coalitions and declarations have already been taken on a global scale to form a united front against climate change.In part 2, 40 policies and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the sector are evaluated in a simulation. For this simulation, the GTTMdyn simulation model, developed by Paul Peeters from BUAS, is used which works on a global scale and shows the effect of measures on emissions, tourism, transport, economy, and behaviour. In this simulation, the researchers can 'test' measures and learn from mistakes. In the end one or more scenarios will; be developed that reach the goals of 50% reduction in 2030 and zero emissions in 2050. In part 3, the various actions that should lead to the reduction targets are tested against the impacts on the consequences for the global tourism economy, its role in providing leisure and business opportunities and the consequences for certain destinations and groups of industry stakeholders. This part will be concluded with two workshops with industry experts to reflect on the results of the simulation.Part 4 reports the results of the study including an outline of the consequences of possibly not achieving the goal. With this, the researchers want to send a warning signal to stakeholders who may be resistant to participating in the transition.
The project ‘Towards resilient leisure, tourism and hospitality (LTH) ecosystems in Europe’ addresses the critical problem of unsustainable practices in the tourism and travel industry. The LTH industry is ‘back on track’ after recovering from the global Covid-19 crisis. Destinations show increased numbers of international arrivals and rapid growth of tourism-related revenues. It is foreseen that cities like Amsterdam, but also vulnerable natural areas, will receive record numbers of visitors in the coming decade. The dominant economic model operating within the industry nonetheless prioritizes short-term gains, resulting in extreme exploitation of resources, labour, and local communities, evidenced by negative impacts in European destinations like Venice and the Canary Islands. The project aims to shift the industry’s focus to long-term sustainability, addressing systemic constraints and facilitating a transition that aligns with European priorities for a sustainable and just future. It builds vital connections between regional, national, and European research priorities by addressing and advocating for climate and social justice. Regionally, it investigates best practices across diverse tourism environments in Finland, Spain, Sweden, the UK, Scotland, and The Netherlands. Nationally, it challenges the status quo by proposing alternative governance frameworks that individual countries could adopt to encourage sustainable tourism practices. On a European scale, the project aligns with EU goals of climate action and sustainable development, supporting objectives of the European Green Deal and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It aims to build solid theoretical foundations necessary for a transition towards more resilient and environmentally and socially inclusive LTH ecosystems. Through integrating insights from multiple regions, the project transcends local boundaries and offers scalable solutions that can influence policy and industry standards at both national and European levels. The project's transdisciplinary nature ensures that proposed solutions are grounded in diverse eco-socioeconomic contexts, making them robust and adaptable.
