Scope 3 matters: The hidden carbon cost of sport events

This systematic review examines the environmental impacts of Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions associated with sport events, with a particular focus on indirect emissions generated through transportation, accommodation, food, energy use, and waste. Scope 3 emissions often represent the largest share of a sport event’s total carbon footprint, yet they remain poorly measured and inconsistently classified in both research and industry practice.

The authors analyzed 50 peer-reviewed studies published between 1993 and 2023, examining major sources of Scope 3 emissions, methodological approaches, data sources, and emission quantification practices across sport event research. They found that transportation (especially spectator and participant travel) was the dominant source of Scope 3 emissions, followed by energy use, accommodation, food, and waste. Mega-events such as the Olympics and FIFA World Cup generated the highest environmental impacts, while many studies relied on assumptions or secondary data due to difficulties collecting accurate behavioral and travel data. The authors also found widespread inconsistency in how studies classified emissions across Scopes 1, 2, and 3, limiting comparability and assessment accuracy.

Sport organizations and researchers need more standardized methods, stronger stakeholder collaboration, and improved data collection systems to better measure and reduce Scope 3 emissions. The authors also emphasize the need for more research on small- and medium-scale sport events, long-term environmental impacts, and practical sustainability strategies adapted to different event types and contexts.

CITE: Bae, Y., & McCullough, B. P. (2025). Environmental impact and carbon emissions of sport events: The significance of scope 3. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 16(4), e70017. DOI: 10.1002/wcc.70017