04. The Syllabus: B. Sport and Climate
Fields Of Change: A Sustainability Handbook
How does sport affect the planet? Every single moment that makes up the sporting experience has an environmental impact, from travelling to an event to a matchday meal.
Food and drink At major events, sporting facilities cater for tens of thousands of people at a time. This can be a significant source of carbon emissions if the food sold is primarily meat-based and products are sold in plastic packaging. Single use plastics from food and drink sold at sporting events are not only carbon emission sources, but also produce plastic pollution which is a problem of its own. Clothing and equipment Trainers, boots, balls, rackets, shirts - sport at all levels involves equipment and clothing. These items are often made from synthetic materials such as plastics, which when disposed will not biodegrade and may release microplastics. The manufacturing of clothing and textiles is very energy and water intensive. As noted in section A. global carbon emissions from the fashion industry are greater than the share from aviation. The production and consumption of clothing in the sporting context is particularly problematic as there is a culture of high turnover and short shelf life - every year, fans are encouraged to buy a new shirt or jersey to support their team.
Transport Travel has by far the biggest impact on climate from sport. Whether it is the international tours of the annual tennis calendar, the monumental events of the Olympics, or the weekly home and away journeys of football, sport drives the movement of millions of people across the world throughout the season and for one-off events. The vast majority of these journeys are by fans, who travel to see their team or favourite athletes in huge numbers and sometimes across huge distances. This transportation results in carbon emissions, especially when the journeys are by planes and private cars. Transport makes up the most significant proportion of sport’s carbon emissions - about 60 to 80% 33 - and this is exemplified by the fact that the 2026 FIFA World Cup held across three countries in North America is likely to be the most carbon-intensive tournament ever staged 34 . Infrastructure The construction of sporting stadia is incredibly carbon intensive due to the emissions produced in the production of materials like concrete and steel, and the transport of the materials to the construction site.
Replacing large areas of land with concrete, tarmac and metal also affects local biodiversity. Once sporting infrastructure is built, it continues to impact the environment through its operation - stadiums consume water and energy for lighting, heat, hosting, and maintenance. Sponsorship A more indirect impact of sport is through sponsorship - teams, players, and tournaments are often sponsored by companies that are causing major environmental damage. Companies pay incredible sums of money for sponsorship because it enhances their reputation and makes people more likely to buy their products. Through shirt sponsorship, fans can be turned into walking adverts for companies that make immense profits through the exploitation of the natural world and be used for sportswashing .
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