Sam Mattis, Eliza McCartney, Rhydian Cowley, Ajla del Ponte and Elena Vallortigara
• Video release coincides with sport panel at UN Climate Change Conference
• Athletics Kenya, supported by Minister of Sport, participates in COP29
• Sport’s youngest athletes share strong concerns about the climate crisis, latest World Athletics survey shows
Olympians from across the sport of athletics sounded the climate change alarm in a new video released today to coincide with the COP29 United Nations Climate Change Conference which is currently underway in Baku, Azerbaijan.
In 'Becoming a Champion for a Better World: Athlete Messages for COP29', Olympians Eliza McCartney (NZL), Sam Mattis (USA), Ajla Del Ponte (SUI), Rhydian Cowley (AUS) and Elena Vallortigara (ITA) share personal experiences of how climate change has impacted their performance and training, explain what it means to champion for a better world and suggest ways that sport can contribute solutions to the climate crisis.
The athletes are part of ‘Champions for a Better World’, a group established by World Athletics in 2022 who are lending their voices to sustainability campaigning within the sport and encouraging their fellow athletes to collectively raise awareness about the threats posed by climate change.
"Our athletes continue to speak clearly and passionately about the ways that the climate crisis is impacting their lives and their sport,” said World Athletics President Sebastian Coe. “They are also providing creative solutions.”
"The science is clear. We must continue to act on our athletes' concerns and use the influence we have as the world’s most universal sport to ensure a healthy environment, for the future of our sport and the future of our planet."
Athletics on the COP29 agenda
The video’s release coincided with ‘Sports for Climate Action: Playing to Win Against Climate Change’, a two-hour panel session held today (18) at COP29 that brought together ministers, athletes and sustainability practitioners from around the world to discuss actions and strategies to help sport address the climate crisis.
Mattis and two-time Olympic champion David Rudisha participated on an athlete panel while Kipchumba Murkomen, the Cabinet Secretary for the Kenyan Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports, also took part to highlight some of the ways that Athletics Kenya has involved the athletics community and their stakeholders to identify and scale climate solutions through their events.
“The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports recognises that despite being the least contributors to Green House Gas emissions and Climate change, Kenya is taking a leadership role on this critical global agenda,” Murkomen said. “We are happy with the work Athletics Kenya is doing on delivering on the UNFCCC commitment and the Government will continue to offer support.”
In 2021, World Athletics signed on to The Sport for Climate Action Framework, a commitment to measure, reduce and offset its carbon emissions while advocating for climate action among its stakeholders. Later that year, Athletics Kenya became the first member federation to join World Athletics as a signatory and has quickly become one of our sport’s leading voices in the battle against climate change.
“Since joining us as a signatory to the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework, Athletics Kenya has embedded sustainability and care for the environment into all its competitions,” said Coe. “Our Kenyan colleagues understand the important role that sport can have to combat climate change and have taken it to heart. The Cabinet Secretary’s participation at COP29 underscores that urgency.”
Athletics Kenya President and World Athletics Vice President Jackson Tuwei, who is leading the Athletics Kenya delegation at COP29, said: “Climate change is affecting Kenya’s high performing and upcoming athletes, and the impact is felt during training and also at international competitions. Climate risk is real and is affecting sports in general and athletics in particular. Athletics is a top sport in Kenya and we are concerned, and so are other athletics nations. Taking action is now not optional for us. Seeking partnership like we have with UNEP and Stockholm Environment Institute to help further address this crisis in line with our commitment on Climate action is paramount.”
Climate change concern high among younger athletes
Coinciding with COP29, World Athletics also released findings from its fourth annual survey that gauges the attitudes of elite athletes about environmental and social issues. This year’s was conducted at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru, to focus on the concerns of our sport’s younger athletes.
A survey of 141 athletes from 51 countries found that their concerns about the environment largely mirrored those of athletes who participated in previous World Athletics surveys conducted in 2021, 2022 and 2023. Some key findings:
- 74% are extremely concerned or very concerned about climate change
- 85% are extremely concerned or very concerned about air pollution
- 70% said climate change has impacted them directly; and
- 74% said climate change has impacted our sport.
Additionally, more than 70% said that they either occasionally or frequently discuss their concerns about the changing climate with family and friends.