Ideas for Good: How to turn the conflict of “I want to do it but I can’t” into action. Sport Positive Summit 2024 Participation Report
How to turn the conflict of “I want to do it but I can’t” into action. Sport Positive Summit 2024 Participation Report [Sport for Good #3]
November 08, 2024 | By Mayako Yamaguchi | inReport
With rising temperatures becoming a well-known fact and being called the “age of the boiling earth,” there is no industry that is immune to the effects of climate change.
One industry that is feeling a sense of crisis about the current situation is the sports world. Athletes, who are trying to adapt their bodies to the environment around them and maximize their performance, are said to be sensitive to changes such as rising temperatures. For example, according to a survey conducted at the World Athletics Championships held in Budapest in August 2023, more than 70% of track and field athletes responded that they were “very concerned about climate change,” and 90% responded that “World Athletics (the federation) has a role to play in building a sustainable future” (※1 ) .
The sports world is already making strong efforts to combat climate change all over the world. IDEAS FOR GOOD is collaborating with the Sport For Smile Planet League, which has been promoting climate change responses in the sports world in Japan, to bring you a special feature titled ” Sport for Good ” that looks at the movement to promote sustainability in the sports world around the world.
This time, we will report on the Sport Positive Summit, which was held in London in October 2024. This summit, which is jointly implemented by the United Nations and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), aims to bring the world of sports together to promote climate change measures, and is held once a year in conjunction with the general assembly of signatory organizations of the UN’s “Sport Climate Action Framework (※2) “. Since its inception in 2020, it has continued to be held online even during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the efforts and challenges of the global sports world have been shared.
The goal of this summit, now in its fifth year, was to “solve problems.” “How can we use the influence, resilience, and innovation of sports to create a prosperous future?” Under this theme, the summit focused on climate change measures. The IDEAS FOR GOOD editorial team, based in London, participated in the two-day summit on October 8th and 9th and will report from the perspective of professional sports led by the Sport For Smile Planet League.
Change “Yeah, but” to “What if I do this?”
A wide range of people from the sports world took to the stage at the summit, including governing bodies such as the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), and World Rugby, as well as teams such as Liverpool FC (English Premier League) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA), environmental organizations, solution providers (such as manufacturers of environmentally friendly equipment), and athletes.
Topics discussed included “How to connect with fans and change their behavior,” “Resilience and the voices of athletes,” “Sustainability standards and governance,” and “How sports can contribute to system change.” In addition to the general sessions held at the beginning and end of the summit, there were four individual sessions divided into six rooms. There were approximately 570 participants, including those who attended online. Their titles were diverse, including sustainability promotion and public relations officers in the sports world, as well as researchers, NPOs, startups, and media representatives.
On the first day of the summit, Claire Poole, representative of the organizing group Sport Positive, called on participants in her opening remarks:
“A phrase you often hear in conversations about sustainability is ‘yes, but.’ ‘That initiative is great, but it’s difficult for us,’ or ‘It’s certainly important, but in reality…’ I want to change this to ‘what if.'”
Expectations for action from the sports world
What is the reason behind the inevitable “Yes, but”? During the summit, participants were asked, “What is the biggest obstacle to expanding climate change measures?” The most common answer was “money.” This was followed by “sponsorship and commercial aspects that generate a lot of CO2 emissions” and “resource allocation (not using funds in the right places).” It is not surprising that the answer that “money” is the problem. The issue of sustainability taking a back seat in favor of profits is not limited to the sports world.
Soccer is a representative example of a sport with a large influence. In recent years, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which is sponsored by the aviation industry, which has a high CO2 emission, has been criticized by some for greenwashing . UEFA took to the stage on the first day. Chris Boardman, chairman of Sport England, which oversees sports policy in England, also took the stage in the keynote speech on the first day, and referred to the criticism of sports organizations such as UEFA and called for more drastic action from the industry.
Sports is often the best crime prevention policy, the best public health policy, and the best way to bring people together.
Quoting former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Boardman added, “If we use it well, sport can be the best climate change and environmental policy. Sport has the power to change the world, but it needs action.” He also mentioned that Sport England’s new sustainability strategy, Every Move , requires partner organisations to have a solid environmental strategy by 2027 as a condition for public funding, demonstrating a strong stance towards changing behaviour.
After Boardman’s speech, UEFA’s Michele Uva took to the stage to explain the climate change measures the organization is working on. These include applying ESG strategies to all matches, making it mandatory for all clubs to appoint sustainability managers, and significantly increasing the “Climate Fund” for German amateur clubs. “EURO 2024 will have 5.4 billion viewers. We feel a sense of responsibility for this number,” Uva said. With so many fans, football is not only being criticized, but is also facing great expectations.
A heated discussion also took place at the venue regarding “sponsors.” Andrew Simms, an environmental activist and author who took the stage on the first day , mentioned that tobacco advertising has been banned in the United States and other countries, and argued that sponsors that emit a lot of CO2 should also be banned. This opinion was met with loud applause from some of the participants.
On the other hand, in the second day’s session, participants expressed different views. There, it was stated that “sponsors do not have a unilateral influence on the sports world, but on the contrary, the sports world should have a large influence on sponsors.” Encourage sponsors with large CO2 emissions to reduce them and bring about change. The sports world, supported by a large number of fans, has the power to do so.
How to get your organization and fans involved? How to convey a message that resonates with them
Between the sports world and sponsors. Between players and fans. Between teams and players. Between federations and teams. The words “collaboration” and “communication” were used in a variety of contexts throughout the summit.
The majority of the summit participants are people working to promote sustainability in the sports world. Many of them were concerned about how to get others involved. Even if one person in charge is positive, that doesn’t necessarily mean the organization or the people involved. The truth is that most organizations think that sustainability is a “nice to have” but not a “must have.”
Some people said that regulations are necessary for the sports world to come together and tackle sustainability, even though there are differences in enthusiasm between organizations and people. There were also stories of ISO certification (ISO20121), which has been implemented in recent years by the Olympics and other organizations, playing a role even without regulations. “If you say, ‘We have an audit for ISO,’ even busy executives will make time to discuss sustainability. We use it as a good ‘excuse,'” said a representative from the FIA, the international motorsports federation.
There is also a trick to how you communicate. Change your words depending on the position and interests of the other person. For example, when talking about why we should avoid using fossil fuels, Sims says that phrases like “don’t pollute the air” or “so that our children don’t get asthma” are more likely to resonate with fans as issues they are familiar with, rather than saying, “this is a measure against climate change.”
The summit also shared how the sports world is currently being affected. Messages based on the experiences of athletes and those involved resonated strongly with me. For example, there was a story about how track and field athletes’ times are declining due to rising temperatures on the ground, and about the noticeable rise in sea levels in the home countries of rugby players.
The rains are also having an impact in unexpected places. In Ireland, it has been raining a lot in recent years, and fans and participants are increasingly traveling by car. While people are being urged to use public transport or walk to reduce CO2 emissions, the rains are even having an impact that hinders this. Communicating these “conflicts” can be said to be a step towards spreading action.
The Sports Positive Awards are given to sustainability actions
Despite the crisis and conflicts, the world of sports is demonstrating its influence in promoting sustainability around the world.
We were able to learn some of these at the Sport Positive Awards ceremony held during the summit. This is an award that Sport Positive, which has been holding the BBC Green Sport Awards in collaboration with the BBC since 2021, established as an independent organization this year. It recognizes organizations, initiatives, and individuals who use the power of sport to address climate change, biodiversity, and climate justice.
Among the recipients of this award were the Green Gooners Cup , a joint campaign between Arsenal FC and American aluminum manufacturer Ball to encourage fans to change their behavior, and the Green Drive sustainability strategy launched by the European Tour Group, the European Professional Golfers’ Association . Liverpool FC’s Red Way , which provides education and training on sustainability in a variety of ways for staff, fans, and local communities, also won in the education and training category. Awards were given in 18 categories, with individuals from each continent also receiving awards for their leadership.
The summit as a mirror for action
The summit’s sustainability efforts were also eye-catching. All the food served at the summit was plant-based, with the hot dogs filled with plant-based meat substitutes and oat milk in the tea and coffee. These foods are said to have relatively low greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and consideration was given to those with dietary restrictions for religious or health reasons. The crockery and cutlery were made of ceramic or metal, and were washed and reused. Programs and venue guides were distributed via an app, making the event paperless.
The organizers are also paying attention to the CO2 emissions that accompany the travel of participants. The summit will be held in a “hybrid” format, allowing participants to participate not only on-site but also remotely. On-site participants will be asked to provide information about their means of transportation, travel distances, and accommodation, and the CO2 emissions of the entire summit will be measured. These emissions are scheduled to be offset in the future (※3) .
One of the features of the event was the emphasis placed on interaction between participants. Approximately nine hours were dedicated to networking over the two days, and there was also time for discussion among participants during sessions.
The most memorable event was the hour and a half roundtable session held on the morning of the second day. There were 18 tables with different themes, such as “How to communicate climate change” and “Sustainable sports venues,” and participants were free to choose a table and move between them every 15 minutes to discuss the topic.
During the discussion, the “Chatham House Rule” was applied, stating that “Participants are free to use the information gained from the discussions. However, they must not reveal the names of specific commenters or other participants.” The friendly atmosphere of the summit also helped to encourage participants to speak their minds. There were smiles and troubled looks, but they were serious and sympathetic to each other throughout the discussion.
The “interactive” summit, where participants actively participated in discussions, reflected feedback from last year’s summit participants that they wanted more discussion. The participants’ voices were listened to and created together. Throughout the two-day summit, I felt the strong steps of the sports world, joining hands for a better future and turning conflicts into action.
*1 Three-quarters of athletes directly impacted by climate change, World Athletics survey finds
*2 The Sports for Climate Action Framework was launched by the United Nations in 2018 to promote the sports industry’s efforts to address climate change. The framework aims to work toward a sustainable future by making it the responsibility of sports organizations to measure and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to implement awareness-raising activities that leverage their influence on fans.
*3 Sustainability Efforts
