THE ANTHROPOCENE is characterized by the consequential impact of human activity on the planet and its biodiversity. Growing in frequency and intensity, extreme weather events like heatwaves and typhoons are directly linked to rising global temperatures.

As humankind is bound to endure the effects of these phenomena, there are no spectators in the race against the climate crisis; everyone is a player on the field. Being a trillion-dollar industry with billions of fans worldwide, sports both affects and is affected by the climate system.

For instance, it was well-documented that athletes at the 2024 Summer Olympics struggled with performance-impairing heat. Locally, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) shifted the collegiate football tournament to the first semester calendar for the same reason.

Such irrefutable connection between sports and the environment calls on the sports industry to become an active participant in the pursuit of sustainability in the face of climate change.

The environmental impact of sports

The global sports sector’s carbon emissions can be primarily attributed to transportation, with other contributors including the energy required by sporting equipment and construction.

A highly controversial example of this was the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Hosted by Qatar, the event reached a shocking 3.63 million tons of carbon emissions—more than what some countries produce annually. However, this self-reported figure from the organizers was found to be grossly underestimated, as it failed to consider the construction of seven new stadiums and daily flights between Doha and neighboring countries.

These metrics prove ironic after FIFA’s bold pledge of carbon neutrality in 2019—an initiative that promised net zero emissions through carbon offsets. This plan’s ineffective reliance on purchasing carbon credits, along with emission miscalculations, set the scene for a greenwashing scheme widely condemned by environmentalists as both misleading and dangerous.

Turning to the local sporting landscape, the discussion of climate and sustainability extends beyond carbon emissions. The New Clark City (NCC), constructed for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, stands on ancestral land from which 500 Aeta families were forcibly displaced.

Among those who assisted the unjustly banished Aeta tribe is climate justice lawyer Atty. Joy Reyes (AB POS-PSY ‘14BS POLSC-PSY ‘14), a long-time advocate for environmental and human rights since her undergraduate years with Ateneo’s Loyola Mountaineers.

While she recognizes that NCC was constructed in the name of development, Reyes argues that it must be done justly without disregarding indigenous rights. “Obviously, you want development to happen, but you don’t want to make it at the risk of people’s cultures and livelihoods,” she says.

In the same paradoxical vein as the controversy surrounding the World Cup, NCC was envisioned to be a “smart, green, and climate-resilient city.” However, the concept’s credibility is diminished by the indisputable truth that indigenous peoples (IPs) are among the most vulnerable to the climate crisis.

“[IPs are] the front lines of the climate crisis, they’re our last lines of defense, and they also contribute the least to the climate emergency, but are most affected by it,” Reyes highlights.

The World Cup and NCC are just two cases of how the sports industry can harm the environment and those whose lives are closely tied to it. With the urgency of this crisis, truly sustainable practices must be established.

Mitigating impacts

Like all other challenges posed by the Anthropocene, mitigating environmental impact in the sports industry remains a tough task due to the overwhelming issues surrounding climate change. However, getting lost in the labyrinth of nuance and complexity attached to the pursuit of sustainability can also hinder the development of solutions.

Many sporting organizations have integrated climate justice principles into their operations through pledges, indicating an awareness of their environmental impact. However, these efforts only become true strides toward sustainable development when fortified by concrete measures.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), for instance, adhered to its comprehensive sustainability plan and showcased green initiatives during the recent Olympics. One strategy was repurposing existing stadiums for different events, while new stadiums and the Olympic Village were built using low-carbon concrete and recycled materials. Although not entirely sustainable, Paris 2024’s carbon emissions were appreciably lower than the IOC’s revised target.

Individual associations have also joined the movement toward sustainability, with the National Basketball Association launching the Arena Sustainability Task Force, and the Premier League’s Arsenal FC installing a large-scale battery energy storage in its stadium.

Not being over reliant on carbon offsets, these measures serve as shining testaments that sustainability in sports is possible, and other events and leagues can follow suit.

In the Philippines, local leagues must be encouraged to join the climate movement, considering their high-volume use of multiple air-conditioned venues and transportation vehicles. Recently, the UAAP announced its partnership with Akari in the construction of the league’s central stadium in Pasig. While the project plans to use solar energy and recycled water, its goal of sustainability must also cover the environmental cost of the stadium’s construction itself.

These successfully implemented initiatives reveal a dimension that transcends the numbers and statistics of the climate crisis. As a deeply human endeavor, sports holds a unique power to inspire action on what is ultimately a deeply human issue—climate change.

The power of sports

As an avid enjoyer of outdoor activities, Reyes highlights the role that sports plays in the global climate movement. Considering its massive reach and influence, the sports industry has the potential to not only raise awareness but also shift public behavior and mobilize collective action.

“I think not to say that athletes and other influential celebrities are the end-all and be-all of climate justice […] but it’s just nice to have people with as much reach as they do to talk about these things,” she notes.

Furthermore, Reyes emphasizes that this advocacy is deeply rooted in the understanding that the environment is fundamental to the very experience and enjoyment of sports itself.

This movement ultimately becomes a discussion of care for both the spaces where sports are played and the communities that engage with them. Whether it be a running trail or a football pitch, the natural environment equally shapes the identity and accessibility of sports. When these landscapes are degraded and carbon emissions remain unchecked, sporting culture is placed at risk.

Thus, rallying sustainable development in sports is not just an ecological concern—it is a commitment to safeguarding the future of sports and the joy, health, and unity it brings universally.