Sport England chair, Chris Boardman, has called for sport and physical activity to be a key player in the worldwide fight against climate change.
Speaking at COP29 in Azerbaijan, he delivered a speech on Monday making the case for sport to be at the heart of global climate change policies. He also took part in a panel discussion entitled Sports for Climate Action: Playing to Win Against Climate Change.
He made the case for sport collectively making thousands of small environmental sustainability improvements that add up to something significant.
“Not only is this an approach that will work with climate change, it’s possibly the only one that will,” he said.
“I hold this positive outlook because I can see the thousand small, practical changes we can make that, if enacted by every leader, person, community and sector, will see us prevail.”
“For all of those incremental actions to be made, we need to be able to reach out into the world of business and down into the heart of communities to motivate and galvanise action. I believe only sport has the ability to do this.”
“Sport brings out the best in us. Muddy kickabouts, weekly swimming and gym classes that turn strangers into friends. The atmosphere of pride that permeates the public mood when a national team is doing well – and the carnival of joy that’s unleashed if we win, people leaping off pub benches and into each other’s arms – is testament to its power to connect.”
“At a community level, there are more than 75,000 sports clubs in England alone. Situated in every neighbourhood, village, town and city across the country, grassroots clubs provide an unparalleled ‘delivery network’. These clubs did not cause the climate crisis, but they can be part of the solution.”
Olympic Champion David Rushida was another from the world of sport to address the key climate change conference.
We will shortly be in a position to announce exciting developments withing the Sport for Business Sustainibility Pillar, backed by SSE Airtricity and reaching across our community.
In partnership with SSE Airtricity, Sport for Business has created a Sustainability Leadership Group. The group will discuss areas of mutual interest and potential collaboration over the next three years.
Find out more and get involved.
The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations, including all the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies.
