Sustainability Spotlight: Golf as a Nature-Based Solution
It’s that time of year again. We’re all winding down another year and preparing for a fresh start in January. This often means finishing up projects at work, thinking about what the new year will bring, and reflecting on how we can improve personally and professionally. For climate nerds like me, December also marks the conclusion of the United Nations’ (UN) annual Conference of Parties (COP). This international summit brings together its member states to negotiate plans and commitments to address climate change and limit its impacts towards the end of every year.
Final negotiations for COP 28 wrapped up in Dubai last week, with countries finding some common ground in working towards the goal of the Paris Agreement – limiting global warming to 1.5°C compared to 2019 levels. These negotiations include nations agreeing to transition away from fossil fuels, triple renewable energy generation and double energy efficiency by 2030, phase out coal-fired power plants, and finally (for the first time ever), countries that are responsible for most of the planet-warming emissions have agreed to compensate developing countries more vulnerable to the effects of climate change through a loss and damage fund (albeit these countries contributed a miniscule amount of money compared to what’s needed).
Over the two-week conference, there were numerous agreements reached and progress made on many fronts – though of course, there is always debate over how effective these agreements will be. One commitment in particular laid important groundwork for the golf industry to help fight the climate crisis. The U.S., France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Pakistan, and the UN Environment Programme joined ENACT (Enhancing Nature-based Solutions for an Accelerated Climate Transformation), which was first launched by several countries and the European Union (EU) at COP 27 in 2022. The partnership aims to deploy Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to address climate change, land and ecosystem degradation, and biodiversity loss. Nature-based Solutions have the potential to mitigate emissions at a rate of 10GT of CO₂ per year, which is more than the emissions from the entire global transportation sector.
Golf, an industry that inherently uses a significant amount of land globally, can help develop and enhance NbS projects. Golf is inextricably linked to nature. It’s a sport that brings its players out into nature and requires them to pay attention to elements of the landscape around them. ENACT’s NbS goals include protecting, restoring, and sustainably managing 2.4 billion hectares of natural ecosystems. Golf can help the U.S. and other countries dedicated to ENACT reach their NbS goals by enhancing nature as much as possible on golf courses. Our world is so urbanized that in some cities, golf courses are one of the very few green areas. We need to leverage these existing green spaces to improve the environmental quality of our communities.
When designed and managed properly, golf courses can act as carbon sinks. Edwin Roald, a golf course architect in Iceland who prioritizes sustainability in his designs, is working on estimating the carbon status of land used by Icelandic golf courses through Carbon Par. More research like Edwin’s is needed worldwide to determine what impact golf courses have on land carbon and how we can better manage courses to sequester more carbon. As golf course architects develop new courses or renovate existing ones, it’s important for them to consider the impact of their projects on land carbon.
Beyond direct carbon sequestration by turfgrass, golf courses can offer Nature-based Solutions by increasing biodiversity, restoring wetlands, and managing invasive species. In conjunction with joining ENACT last week, the U.S.’ Department of the Interior (DOI) released its Nature-based Solutions roadmap, which provides guidance on the implementation of nature-based solutions to the public. The roadmap lays out cross-cutting principles for NbS projects, which include engaging communities and tribes, incorporating equity and environmental justice, and identifying funding mechanisms and partnering opportunities, to name a few.
The golf industry has the opportunity – and the responsibility – to play a key role in implementing NbS projects according to these principles. Some golf courses and golf tournaments are already doing this effectively. The Irvine to Girvan Nectar Network in Scotland exemplifies how golf courses can integrate into NbS projects that engage various stakeholders in the community. This project aims to establish connected nectar and pollen-rich sites along Scotland’s southwestern coast to ensure the long-term survival of pollinating insects. Various groups have partnered up to create this pollinator network, including Scotland’s nature agency, conservation groups, farms, parks, industrial sites, and of course, over a dozen golf courses that have sowed new wildflower areas.
The WM Phoenix Open is a great example of a NbS project that incorporates all several of DOI’s cross-cutting principles. Though these projects don’t happen on the actual golf course, the Phoenix Open tournament generates revenue for WM and its partners to support freshwater projects across the state of Arizona, improving habitats, reducing water use in agriculture, and providing access to clean drinking water for Tribal Nations.
Golf has so much to contribute to NbS projects – we just need to be creative, give everyone a seat at the table, and leverage partnerships. Solving climate change is undeniably dependent on humans restoring nature and preserving the natural environment. Yes, we need to rapidly reduce global emissions, but promoting Earth’s natural ability to sequester carbon is an essential part of the solution. All industries should align with the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C compared to 2019 levels. Implementing NbS projects is a crucial step in reaching that goal, and we’re counting on golf to play its part.
