By By Sandro Angulo Rincón
The Conflict Between Sports and Natural Resources
Up to this point, the consequences of climate change on sports have been revealed, but another undeniable truth cannot be ignored: sports have become a contributing factor to the environmental crisis. While the organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games boasted about this mega-event being the most sustainable in history—due to reductions in carbon footprints, efficient waste management, and the use of renewable energy—they failed to report the greenhouse gas emissions caused by air travel for delegations, referees, journalists, and tourists traveling to the City of Light from participating countries.
Rodrigo Tóffano and his colleagues, in Score a Goal for Climate: Assessing the Carbon Footprint of Travel Patterns of the English Premier League Clubs, state that the carbon footprint of the English Premier League during the 2016-2017 season exceeded 1,134 tons of CO2, produced by the 20 teams in the championship. Most of these greenhouse gas emissions stemmed from air travel and luxury accommodations.
Moreover, sports maintain a contentious relationship with water resources: 15,000 liters per day are used to maintain cricket stadiums, while 52,000 liters per day are needed to prepare a standard professional soccer field measuring 68 x 105 meters (the daily consumption of 380 people). An iconic venue like Yankee Stadium in New York features nearly 800 restrooms (369 for women, 298 urinals for men, and 78 unisex bathrooms) to serve 53,000 Major League Baseball fans.
Source: www.iagua.es
Despite these figures, no studies have addressed the impacts of climate change on water as a resource for major sports stadiums, nor have they considered any adaptive responses by the organizations managing these venues. Additionally, there is a lack of research on extreme temperatures and their effects on sports in countries located within the intertropical zone, that is, between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. This region includes nations such as Colombia, Ecuador, Indonesia, Cameroon, and Australia, where temperatures remain relatively stable throughout the year, and the four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) are replaced by just two (dry and rainy seasons).
In lowland areas near sea level and along the coasts, there are seasonal variations in rainfall, with constant temperatures around 30°C, which decrease in mountainous regions and cities situated at varying altitudes. However, the heat in these areas is rising due to greenhouse gas emissions, leading to biodiversity loss in tropical forests and creating challenges for sports activities.
For instance, in Ibagué, Colombia, a city located approximately 1,200 meters above sea level, temperatures exceeded 34°C in September 2024—four to five degrees higher than in the same month last year (see graph). If this trend continues in the coming years, it will reshape exercise schedules and methods in the region.
Source: https://n9.cl/y3vftb
Most Latin American countries are located within the intertropical zone, and the subcontinent is often highlighted for leading global violence rates: 15 per 100,000 inhabitants (compared to Asia’s 2.6 and Europe’s 2.4), as reported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. This data contributes to the perception of Latin America and the Caribbean as the most dangerous region in the world.
However, it is worth questioning whether the truly most dangerous countries in the world are those that contribute the most to atmospheric pollution, driving harmful biological changes for the human species (see graph).
A small number of countries account for the majority of global greenhouse gas emissions. The 10 highest-emitting countries collectively contribute more than two-thirds of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. Most of these nations have large populations and economies, representing over 50% of the global population and 75% of the world’s GDP. China is the largest emitter, responsible for 26.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, followed by the United States at 12.67%, the European Union at 7.52%, and India at 7.08%*.
Most of these countries have per capita emissions higher than the global average (approximately 6.45 tCO2eq per capita). Among the top 10 greenhouse gas emitters, Canada and the United States have the highest per capita emissions, at 20.6 tCO2eq and 17.74 tCO2eq per capita, respectively, while India has the lowest, at 2.47 tCO2eq per capita. China’s per capita emissions (8.4 tCO2eq) continue to rise and now exceed those of the European Union (7.46 tCO2eq).
Actions in the Right Direction
Sports have demonstrated their ability to mitigate the consequences of climate change by promoting active transportation such as cycling, skating, and walking. However, to ensure the sustainability of both amateur and competitive physical activity, equal access to natural resources is essential, as well as a swift and equitable transition from fossil fuels to clean and renewable energy sources.
Experts believe that present and future actions should aim to:
- Systematically integrate the impacts of climate change and the roles of adaptation/mitigation of physical activity into the field of sports sciences and, by extension, across all scientific disciplines.
- Reorganize, reduce, or concentrate (inter)national competitions during specific periods to significantly lower athletes’ carbon footprints.
The Sustainable Sport Index Report, developed by APTIM, details the actions taken by sports organizations to ensure the industry’s sustainability. Through a survey conducted among 65 teams and venues from professional and collegiate leagues in the United States (primarily), Mexico, and Canada across various sports disciplines (soccer, basketball, hockey, football, baseball, and track and field), APTIM seeks to analyze the social and environmental practices in these venues. The data collected in 2024 offers hope that there is growing awareness of the need to redirect the sports industry toward sustainability and resilience.
For example:
- Over one-third of venues have implemented programs to monitor noise and/or light pollution, which are critical for protecting native species and their habitats.
- 71% of these venues feature walking and cycling paths, and 89% also offer access to public transportation.
- 60% have waste diversion goals, although only 19% have set targets for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
- 76% of participants have implemented measures to enhance the resilience of their infrastructure, but only 6% have developed a climate adaptation plan.
There is still work to be done, such as expanding the sample of institutions and sports venues worldwide to enhance the scientific validity of the research. However, it is encouraging to see organizations striving to mitigate the environmental impact of sports practices.
Share Your Experiences
Tell us about the relationship between sports and climate change in your city. Remember to support independent journalism and follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
This is the final post of 2024. From Agon & Areté, we thank you for dedicating your time to reading our articles on sports and their connection to the social and human sciences. We welcome your comments and suggestions to improve our work. In 2025, we aspire for Agon & Areté to meet your informational needs through this page, as well as through our own podcasts and video productions. We will take a brief break and resume in January.
Translation
Score a Goal for Climate: Assessing the Carbon Footprint of Travel Patterns of English Premier League Clubs.
Cover Photo Credit
El Desmarque: Effects of Climate Change on Sports and Physical Activity.
