2 minute read
Column: Russell Seymour
Sustainability in sport - where are we?
CEO BASIS
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Climate change featured prominently in the news last year, as the UK hosted the COP26 talks in November 2021 – but what has happened since? A new climate change report has recently been published by the IPCC, the body that advises the UN on climate change issues. Unsurprisingly, given the situation in Ukraine at the current time, its exposure in the news media was limited. Nonetheless, its contents are worth highlighting.
The report tries to assess where we are now – what are the current impacts? Are we adapting? Where are we vulnerable? It paints a bleak picture, unless we take urgent action now. Key conclusions are: ● Bad weather events are more frequent, more intense, are widespread and extend beyond natural climate variability ● The events are following what the science has predicted, but they are at the very top of those predictions and are happening more quickly than expected ● Approaching a half of the world’s population (3.3 to 3.6 billion people) are already feeling significant effects of climate change.
Over the course of five days in February, storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin hit our shores within five days, bringing significant damage and flooding and impacting sport through damage to tracks, pitches and other facilities. Our geography and our general climate means that the UK is relatively insulated from the worst aspects of climate change at the moment, but the predictions are for more extreme weather impacts in the future. We should also remember that while we are feeling the effects of
The storms caused widespread damage to sports facilities
unusual weather patterns in the UK it is undeniable that the impacts of climate change are being felt more strongly and more urgently in less developed countries.
So where does sport sit in all of this? Of course, where there is immediate danger to life and substantial damage to property, this is the priority, but sport can be used as a medium to talk about these issues. More than any other human endeavour, sport has the power to unite people in a common cause.
The most frequent question I am asked is “What is the one best thing that I can do?” I’m often tempted to ‘borrow’ the simple two-word answer of the great Sir David Attenborough: “Don’t waste” – great practical advice. But even more important is to talk about these issues – start a conversation with family, with friends, with suppliers or clients. You might be surprised at the result. ●
