What do Experts Think About the Sustainability of Kiteboarding?

Abstract

The relationship between sports and sustainability has been recognized 30 years ago but the impacts of developing sports remain unknown. By combining a scoping review with the Delphi method, our study uncovers the positive and negative impacts of kiteboarding on the social and natural environment. In addition to expected impacts such as improving the fitness of an individual and generating conflicts among kiteboarders and beachgoers, our findings reveal surprising impacts, most of which positive because the experts primarily regard kiteboarding as an environmentally friendly sport. The only severe environmental impact identified by the experts was the lack of recycling of kiteboarding products. Despite the widespread perception of kiteboarding as a sport that contributes to climate change, the experts failed to reach a consensus on the severity of the carbon footprint of kiteboarders, who travel to distant locations. This study highlights the importance of assessing the environmental effects of individuals’ sports.