The role of green commodities in the sports industry imports: shaping green growth in high-income countries

The sustainability of the sports industry and the use of green commodities are pressing global issues. This study explores the dynamics of importing eco-friendly sports equipment across 15 high-income countries from 2001 to 2019, using an autoregressive distributed lag model. Results underscore the importance of governance: even slight improvements significantly increase green sports equipment imports by streamlining trade and boosting consumer confidence. Social factors like education have limited influence, while poverty levels are a critical factor, reflecting economic limitations on consumer spending. Economic indicators reveal that larger GDP correlates with lower import levels, while exchange rate volatility negatively impacts imports. Additionally, higher CO2 emissions reduce import demand, pointing to growing environmental awareness. These findings suggest key policy actions for high-income countries, including strengthening governance, addressing economic and social constraints, and promoting sustainable education to foster environmental responsibility.