Author: Jera Rakovec Nahtigal
Sine Midtgaard Hansen has 20 years of experience as a civil servant in teams of ministers, mayors and committees, and 10 years of consulting experience in the strategic development of the city of Copenhagen and project management of the city as a host of major international sports events. From 2014 to 2021, she was the Official UEFA Host City Project Lead for UEFA EURO 2020. She is currently involved in 2024 ISA SUP World Championships, the 2025 BMX Racing World Championships, the 2026 Athletics Road World Championships, and a potential Danish bid for the IOC Youth Olympic Games. Sine shared with us insights and views on sustainability agenda in relation to hosting major sports events.
SPORTO: Copenhagen as a city has a reputation for being one of the most sustainable cities in Europe and world as well. When did you start implementing sustainable strategies also at organizational level in hosting the international sport events?
Sine Midtgaard Hansen: I am pleased to hear that Copenhagen has such a positive international reputation. The City of Copenhagen has a strong narrative of Copenhagen as a green capital, committed to being an international frontrunner in relation to climate and sustainability.
This narrative is an important tool for setting a political agenda and for achieving administrative scope for working with sustainability. As a host city for major international sport events, the work of integrating sustainability initiatives into the event dialogue and event planning has only gained momentum within the last 5 years. Today, sustainability is embedded in the City’s event strategy. We are on track, but we have much to learn.
Sustainability always starts with people – their believes, habits and lifestyles. How did you managed to achieve changes? To what extent do you think sport could be an enabler for changes?
The City of Copenhagen aims to develop Copenhagen as a sustainable, responsible and “livable city”; Copenhagen must be a good place to live. Luckily, I assume that most locals would agree that we enjoy the scale of our city, the architecture, a harbour so clean you can swim in it, and our bicycle culture and bicycles. When it comes to hosting major international sport events, we experience a huge interest to engage and be involved. A study conducted in relation to Denmark hosting the Tour de France Grand Départ 2022 confirms that 75 per cent of the Danes strongly or somewhat agree that the event was a community celebration. So, I am very positive that sport can be a strong enabler of positive changes and that sport can drive sustainability. However, I believe that the chances are bigger if there is a significant overlap between the event and the core values of the host city and the city’s DNA.
When it comes to hosting major international sport events, we experience a huge interest to engage and be involved. A study conducted in relation to Denmark hosting the Tour de France Grand Départ 2022 confirms that 75 per cent of the Danes strongly or somewhat agree that the event was a community celebration.
Whose role is crucial when building a sustainable ecosystem? Who should be involved from the beginning – when the decision about hosting a major international sport event is met?
Based on the experience from hosting e.g. EURO 2020 and the Grand Départ, I think it is crucial that the host city and the Danish event organizer are aligned when it comes to sustainability objectives. It requires dialogue, it requires ownership, and it requires resources. At times it also requires willingness and initiative to negotiate alternative solutions to the host city obligations with the international rights holder and the stakeholders involved in the event planning. If results are to be achieved, it is crucial that all partners involved take ownership, are open minded and show an interest to do things differently.
In recent years Copenhagen hosted several major international sports events. Beside aforementioned Grand Départ and UEFA EURO 2020, the city was also host to IIHF World Championship or Badminton World Championships (this year for a record-extending fifth time)… What are the major sustainable challenges in hosting big sports events?
The fact that major international sport events, by definition, are international and therefore require participants, crew, and event guests to travel long distances is undoubtedly the biggest downside in relation to an event’s impact on the environment. So, from that point of view, international sport events will always pose a negative burden on the climate. This is a condition – and a challenge – that is equal to other industries as well, not least the tourism industry. In Copenhagen we work with an expanded definition of sustainability. That is a triple line approach to sustainability: economic, environmental, and social sustainability. The approach gives us an opportunity to distinguish between different impacts and effects. We aim for impacts that leave positive effects on the City of Copenhagen and on the everyday life of the citizens of Copenhagen.
The fact that major international sport events, by definition, are international and therefore require participants, crew, and event guests to travel long distances is undoubtedly the biggest downside in relation to an event’s impact on the environment.
What would you say is a key sustainable legacy of hosting such events for the citizens? What are the aspirations for the city and its citizens in the future in terms of sustainability?
Being a responsible host city and being a responsible citizen isn’t something we can opt into or out of. When hosting major international sport events, sustainable legacies are a responsibility that must be collectively assumed – by citizens, event organizers, local stakeholders and the City, as a partner and as an authority.
Which are the traps when trying to re-frame the way we “consume” sport?
I think we should rather ask how sport and major international sport events can integrate the agendas of the present and the future, including the global challenges of climate changes etc. Sustainability is an urgent agenda and thus a relevant agenda for everyone. And because sport has an immense sphere of influence, we – who work with sports – have an obligation to be responsible and to show a way forward.
Personally, I think that the sports industry will face more and more audience who will be curious to know how event organizers and stakeholders relate to the sustainability agenda. And that we will be met by generations of young people and consumers of sports who will demand a greater level of responsibility towards the environment etc. So, we might as well be prepared and work hard to address these issues and present innovative solutions. It is embedded in sports that if you want to increase your performance, you will need to improve your skills. This same applies to the entire sports sector: if we want to continue to be relevant for future audiences and consumers, we need to make an effort and step up.
Personally, I think that the sports industry will face more and more audience who will be curious to know how event organizers and stakeholders relate to the sustainability agenda. And that we will be met by generations of young people and consumers of sports who will demand a greater level of responsibility towards the environment.
Do you feel that a sustainability is already so attached in the Copenhagen DNA that there is no longer needed to address it as an issue by itself but more like a “philosophy of a city”?
The City of Copenhagen’s political vision is to combine growth, urban development and quality of life with reduced CO₂ emissions, so that we can become the world’s first CO₂ neutral capital. In my opinion, I think it is a clever priority to work for improved environmental performance, social welfare and general well-being for the city’s citizens as connected objectives. It is my hope that this broader approach to the concept of sustainability will be an integrated part of all political priorities – and become part of the mindset of all Copenhageners.
We are looking forward to hosting you as a speaker in Ljubljana. Have you ever been in Slovenia before?
Surprisingly, I haven’t succeeded in visiting Slovenia before now. However, I was tipped by a dear friend – many years ago – about the beauty of the countryside and of Ljubljana in particular. So of course, I will stay the weekend and explore the city.
Sine Midtgaard Hansen will be our guest at the 2nd event on the road to SPORTO
