How climate change is impacting the sports industry

It has become increasingly clear that climate change is one of the greatest challenges the world is currently facing, and its impact has no spatial or sectoral boundaries. Increased incidence of heat waves, snow cover loss, erratic patterns of rainfall leading to extreme flooding or extended droughts, matched with torrential storms, and heightened danger of sea levels rising have all become frighteningly common. As a result, forecasts spell out a bleak prospect for both small and large sporting events and the industries attached to them. Even more concerning is the fact that these impacts and changes have already become quite real as the sports world has witnessed numerous wakeup calls in the recent past.

Cricket is on the frontline of climate change impact because, much like many other sports, it heavily depends upon favourable climatic conditions. Reports indicate that venues such as Australia, India, West Indies and Pakistan may be too hot or too wet for matches to be played safely. Given a string of heat-related concerns during cricket matches in the past, the sport has already adopted an 'extreme heat policy' which gives umpires the ability to halt play in case of high temperatures. Although adaptive measures, in truth they are merely cosmetic changes which can do little to avoid a plethora of delayed and cancelled events. The predicament for popular mega-sports like football is no different. Reports estimate that “23 of 92 English football league clubs will face partial or total annual flooding of their stadiums by 2050”.

The increased frequency of wildfires and relative air quality deterioration marred tennis games during the latest Tokyo Olympics, which was reminiscent of the 2019 Australian Open. But the damage does not stop there. Shortened winter seasons and reductions in natural snow cover means that winter sports will see a similar downturn, especially at lower elevations. Studies are predicting that by 2050, approximately 45% of the existing locations for the winter Olympics may well be deemed redundant to hold events, whereas coastal erosion and sea level rising will have a direct impact on major sea sports.

In addition to the clear impact on sporting events themselves, frequent intensified weather events such as hurricanes and typhoons can cause great damage to buildings and infrastructure as well. Thus, whether it’s the health risks, delays and cancellations of sporting events, financial losses, destruction of infrastructure, or the need for re-designing and re-furbishing of sports venues and changed rules, the picture is clear – climate change spells bad news for the sports sector.

However, despite the challenges that exist, sports can also help take the lead for the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: Climate Action forum to help limit these impacts. This entails a two-pronged approach: the reduction of sectoral carbon emissions (thus contributing to limiting the climate crisis), and using the existing outreach and influence of sports and sporting personalities to draw attention to the issue. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) endorses this notion in its 'United Nations Sports for Climate Action Initiative' brief, noting that:

“Sports are of global interest for billions of fans, and the media coverage generated in response, provide a strong platform for the sport sector to play an exemplary role in meeting the challenge of climate change, and inspire and engage large audiences to do the same”.

The former approach is a result of the extensive carbon footprint prevalent in the sector, the sources of which include (but are not limited to) food and beverages, accommodation and travelling, infrastructure, and energy consumption. One study estimates that the carbon footprint of sports is “equivalent to a country like Bolivia at the low end but as large as a country like Spain on the high end”. This, however, excludes the impact of the additional burden of indirect emissions from global sportswear and sports broadcasting industries. Therefore, by accounting for this footprint and reducing it through efforts of making climate-smart entities (venues and sports equipment creation through sustainable material), having net-zero targets, and by ‘greening’ their supply chains, the sector will be able to increase its share of environmental responsibility.

The latter approach capitalises on the popularity of sports across the world, which offers both outreach opportunities and influence. Just within the realm of football and cricket, there is a cumulative viewership of approximately six billion people. Using these events as outreach tools can help inspire people towards engaging in sustainable consumption and raise awareness around the sustainable development goals. Similarly, through initiatives such as Sports for Development (S4D), children can also learn how to protect their environment and actively engage with nature in a sustainable manner.

In Pakistan’s context, an estimated 80 million people watched the 2019 final of the Pakistan Super league (PSL), accounting for 70% of the country’s TV-viewing public. Similar figures can be seen in social media engagement during sporting events. Matched with this is the vast sports goods industry of Pakistan which amounts for approximately $338 million in export income annually, and employs a workforce of about 200,000. Thus, the sports industry must also engage in carbon footprint reduction and sustainable manufacturing strategies. Furthermore, programmes such as the Kamyab Jawan Youth Sports League programme can be another entry point for engaging with the S4D, especially since it focuses on children and the youth.

An overview of the entire climate change and sports nexus confirms that the sector is both at the receiving and giving ends of the spectrum. Thus, if it proactively works on reducing its direct and indirect footprints, and also influences a wave of change amongst sports-viewers, it can contribute towards helping to build a sustainable future.