From Melbourne to Milan: global sport steps forward on circular economy leadership
As the Australian Open concludes this Sunday, the spotlight once again falls on what is possible when world-class sport and sustainability leadership come together.
Across the Melbourne Park precinct, the Australian Open has demonstrated how major international tournaments can integrate renewable energy, circular economy solutions and practical environmental action at scale, setting a powerful benchmark for global sport.
And now, with less than a week to go until the opening of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, attention turns to Europe, where organisers are building on this momentum with an ambitious and deeply embedded sustainability and legacy approach.
A holistic approach to sustainability and legacy
Milano Cortina 2026 has committed to a sustainability strategy that is holistic, concrete and progressive, embedding environmental responsibility across planning, delivery and long-term legacy. Central to this approach is the adoption of circular economy principles, designed to minimise waste, extend asset life and deliver lasting benefits for host communities.
Rather than treating sustainability as an operational add-on, the Games are being positioned as a catalyst for systemic change, involving governments, industry partners, local communities and the Olympic Movement itself.
Designing for reuse, not disposal
A core pillar of Milano Cortina 2026’s approach is material reuse and infrastructure lifecycle planning.
Temporary venues, event overlays and operational assets are being designed with their post-Games life in mind. Wherever possible, infrastructure will be reused, repurposed or recycled, significantly reducing the volume of materials that would traditionally be discarded after a major sporting event.
This focus on lifecycle thinking helps avoid the “build-and-abandon” legacy of past mega-events and instead ensures that investments made for the Games continue to deliver value long after the Closing Ceremony.
Olympic Villages built for life after the Games
The circular economy approach extends beyond venues and into athlete accommodation.
Olympic Villages for Milano Cortina 2026 are being designed for adaptive reuse, with athlete housing planned to transition into permanent residential or community spaces once the Games conclude. This ensures that facilities serve local needs, support housing outcomes and contribute positively to regional development.
By planning for post-event use from the outset, the Games demonstrate how sport infrastructure can be a driver of long-term social and environmental benefit.
Waste reduction and resource efficiency at scale
Waste management and resource efficiency are also central to the Milano Cortina 2026 sustainability strategy.
Organisers have set high recycling targets, with a strong focus on diversion from landfill. Restrictions on disposable materials, improved sorting systems and partnerships with local organisations to recover surplus food are all part of delivering a more circular event model.
These measures reflect a growing recognition across global sport that waste is not inevitable, and that large events can play a critical role in normalising reuse, recovery and responsible consumption.
A clear signal for the future of global sport
From Melbourne to Milan, the transition from the Australian Open to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics highlights a clear shift in how international sport is approaching sustainability.
Major events are no longer judged solely on spectacle and scale, but on how responsibly they are delivered and the legacy they leave behind.
For SEA and its members, Milano Cortina 2026 offers another powerful example of how sport can lead on circular economy thinking, demonstrating practical pathways for reducing environmental impact while strengthening community outcomes.
As the world’s attention turns to the Winter Games, the message is clear: sport has a critical role to play in building a more sustainable, circular future and leadership is already on display.