The impact of the Developing Environmental and Circular Knowledge (DECK) project is set to change the paddle sport community’s perspective towards sustainability for years to come.
At the 2025 International Canoe Federation Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships in Milan, Italy, the environment-focused initiative successfully concluded with a final conference today.
Launched in 2023, the DECK project, supported by the ICF, was led by the Italian Canoe Kayak Federation (FICK) and funded by the ERASMUS+ Sport programme, with collaborators including the Institute of Management of the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, the National Federations of Croatia, Greece, and Slovenia, and the School of Sport and Health.
ICF President Thomas Konietzko, ICF Vice-Presidents Dr. Cecilia Farias and Lluis Rabaneda i Caselles, and Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) President Luciano Buonfiglio were all among the dignitaries present to mark the milestone moment.
“The DECK project opened a new universe for us,” said Dr. Farias.
“It helped to go in-depth into the topic, thanks to all the tools.
“We have got to create tools where our NFs can have access to the webinars and findings.
“This project might have ended, but sustainability is always going to be a priority.
“We will engage with our NFs to better understand their sustainability projects, recognise them and give them exposure.”
The conference started with an overview of the project’s objectives that focused on raising the standards of sustainability at paddle sport events by Anna Merlini from FICK.
Matteo Semeraro from the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies presented results, including the development and implementation of operational tools such as the Sustainability Rating Tool and the life cycle assessment to evaluate the environmental impact of sports events.
Donatella Minelli from the School of Sport and Health showcased the dissemination and awareness-raising activities that have been crucial in extending the project’s reach and impact.
Among the topics explored were the project’s achievements, challenges, and prospects.
The participating National Federations shared how using the tools from the DECK project enhanced sustainability management within their organisations.
Practical activities, including environmental impact assessments and guidelines, were also touched upon with a strong focus on making the tools available to the wider community in the future.
“Congratulations to all the partners for the results of the project,” said Mr Konietzko.
“This is important for several reasons for the paddle sport community.
“The coming together of institutions and countries shows the power of the ICF.
“Sustainability is a key pillar of the ICF’s strategy.
“We want to understand how to protect our environment and become sustainable.
“We can help change the world and make it a little bit better with this project. We should keep continuing.”
Mr Buonfiglio said: “It is not only our sport that we must improve our knowledge of, but also sustainability, because we are caring for the new generation and respecting the environment.
“I thank the Project Manager Anna, Cecilia, and Thomas for their support during the project, and congratulations to all who were able to achieve the unbelievable results of this project.”
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