The certification is overseen and managed by the international GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation. Certification Manager Carole Kerrey commented: “Sustainability is a clear priority for Costa Navarino with evidence across planning and operations at the Bay and Dunes courses; not only satisfying the certification criteria but also going beyond with some innovative projects. We look forward to seeing more to come.”
David Ashington, General Manager at Costa Navarino Golf, said: “We are delighted to achieve GEO Certified® status for The Dunes Course and The Bay Course. This international certification acknowledges our long-standing commitment to sustainable golf development. Since the launch of Costa Navarino – and even before, during construction – several ground-breaking initiatives were introduced, to ensure sustainable performance across the golf courses and the destination. We work hard to continue improving these practices and to ensure that all our golfers and guests can enjoy the best possible experience in these spectacular natural surroundings.”
Costa Navarino is the first multiple-course destination in the Eastern Mediterranean to achieve this international distinction. Some sustainability highlights from Costa Navarino’s Bay and Dunes golf facilities include:
- Sophisticated water management: Several years before the courses were launched, extensive studies for the availability of water resources in the region, formed the basis for a sustainable water management system. Water reservoirs were specifically designed and constructed, fully integrated into the surrounding landscape, and filled by less than one per cent of the excess run-off from local rivers. This water, together with highly treated recycled water is more than enough to cover the irrigation needs Additionally, a series of water-saving measures are constantly applied, based on best available practices that focus on consumption monitoring (e.g. leak control, improved efficiency).
- The total irrigated grassed area on the Bay and Dunes courses has been reduced by five per cent and ten per cent respectively during 2023, by using native plants and recycled olive tree wood branches. Extensive work is still being carried out in 2024 to further reduce the total irrigated grass areas on both golf courses.
- Climate action: Since 2009, Costa Navarino has joined forces with Stockholm University and the Academy of Athens to establish the Navarino Environmental Observatory (NEO), which has been at the forefront of research and education about climate change and the environment in the Eastern Mediterranean region for the past 15 years.
- The biggest olive tree-transplanting programme in Europe: More than 7,000 trees are replanted so far across all areas at Costa Navarino.
- The Bay Clubhouse is one of the first earth-sheltered clubhouses, ensuring it harmoniously blends into the natural landscape, with a total of 27,500 plants and trees both around the clubhouse and on its rooftop.
- An on-going, extensive recycling program for paper, plastics, glass, used oil, batteries and organic waste.
- Positive wider economic impact in Messinia, through contribution with 11 per cent to the region’s GDP over the years (2006-2022), while generating another 80 distinct services in the wider area.
Environmental protection remains a key focus for Costa Navarino which was chosen as “Best Sustainable Destination” globally by the World Travel & Tourism Council, while it was recently named as ‘Europe’s Best Eco-Friendly Golf Facility’ at the World Golf Awards. The destination enhanced further its sustainable credentials by reducing emissions by 80 per cent for 2022 (compared to 2019), as part of its decarbonization strategy, aiming to achieve net-zero operations for the facilities by 2050. Additionally, various large-scale initiatives have been implemented, in line with Costa Navarino’s participation at the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, such as working together with WWF Greece, for the reduction of single use plastics which surpassed 50 per cent in 2023 (compared to 2019).