With over 90% of Australian adults expressing an interest in sport and over 50% of children participating in a sporting activity at least once a week, the future seems to look bright for community and professional sports in Australia. This is reflected in the year-on-year growth in the revenue of the Australian sporting spector, which is valued at $13.7 billion for 2023, and into which the government has invested over $10 million in a bid to drive increased community participation, improve gender equality, and increase social and economic activity.
But there is a looming threat. More intense weather patterns mean more frequent heat waves, wildfires and flooding, putting our favourite sports at risk. This makes climate change a relevant issue for many people who may not currently be engaged by the topic – if it threatens something they love, surely they will be interested in playing their part?
Given the growth of the sporting sector and its cross-generational appeal, there is a huge opportunity for Australian sport to foster the country's drive for climate action. By capitalising on the public's eagerness to interact with the sector, sporting organisations can direct social awareness to the issues of climate change and help drive climate action.
Recognising that the sports industry has much to lose by not allocating resources to safeguarding our environment, some sporting organisations have already stepped up to the plate and are playing their role in the race to save our planet.
The Sports Environment Alliance (SEA), a signatory of the United Nations Sports of Climate Action, is a membership-based organisation committed to encouraging and supporting environmental responsibility in and through sport. SEA's mission is to educate and inspire sporting organisations, clubs, facilities, associations, councils, and communities in Australia and New Zealand to take concrete steps towards achieving a more sustainable future.
SEA achieves this by offering a range of resources, tools, and support to help its members reduce their environmental impact and engage meaningfully with fans, stakeholders, and partners. Through its efforts, SEA encourages sustainable practices and helps create a more responsible sports industry that is focused on doing more for the world with a low-emission footprint.
South Pole has been a proud SEA Partner since 2019, working closely with its members to support their climate action journeys.
"Sport has the unique ability to inspire positive change and plays a critical role in driving climate action by raising awareness, promoting sustainable practices, and engaging fans and stakeholders. SEA is committed to empowering the industry to achieve these goals through education, resources and with the support of our global network of allies." – Jan Fitzgerald, CEO, Sports Environment Alliance
We are also proud to work with some professional sports facilities and clubs in Australia that are taking meaningful climate action and using their platform to shine a light on this topic with their fans and members.
The Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC), as the grounds manager of the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MGC) and Yarra Park, welcomes more than 3.5 million people each year. Unsurprisingly, the waste generated, energy needed, and water required for operating the site has a huge environmental impact. The MCC is committed to reducing its carbon emissions and has taken steps to engrain sustainability within the Club's operational DNA. The Club's Sustainability Plan focuses on key areas that will have the biggest impact on their climate journey, and as a signatory, it has aligned these goals with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Sports for Climate Action. The MCC has programmes in place to help meet these goals, one of which is its Water Treatment Plant (WTP) which produces 600 kilolitres of A Class water per day on average. Another is its waste management programme, through which the MCC currently recycles 80% of all waste generated at the MCG.
As a community hub for many sports fans, the MCC aims to be a climate and community leader for sustainability in sport and is actively engaging and educating its staff and patrons on climate action. Renewable energy is also a large part of the MCC's sustainability journey, now running the MCG on 100% renewable electricity, and through the support of South Pole, the MCC is finalising its Climate Active's certification. The MCC's short-term emission reduction strategy is based on targets and programmes derived from its Environmental management system, and it is now focusing on a longer-term strategy using science-based targets to reach net zero by 2040.
“Our goal is to operate with environmental consciousness and have a positive effect on the community. We are committed to reducing our environmental impact and will continue to contribute to a sustainable future that reaches beyond the MCG and Yarra Park, leading and inspiring environmental action within sport.” – Nathan Xavier, Strategic Asset & Environmental Specialist, Melbourne Cricket Club
Recognising that sport and football are not exempt from the impacts of climate change, Richmond Football Club is fully committed to taking climate action. As the only football club currently within the Australian Football League that is a signatory of the UNFCCC Sports for Climate Action and Race to Zero Initiative, Richmond Football Club is using its reach and platform to encourage climate action and build environmental awareness.
The Club has also committed to reducing its environmental impact by decreasing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2040. Further to this, Richmond Football Club has cut its water consumption by 50% by utilising grey water from the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), installing solar panels to help power their club on renewable energy, and eliminating the use of plastic straws, cups, bags, and water coolers. Together, these initiatives are enabling Richmond Football Club to take action on climate change and demonstrate how sporting organisations can become climate leaders.
South Pole is working with Richmond Football Club to calculate its GHG emissions and develop a roadmap to achieve net zero emissions.
“We understand the decisions we make today relating to climate will impact our future staff, players, and supporters. It is critical that we understand our footprint, and build awareness across the Richmond business and broader football industry, so that we all have a greater capacity to make better decisions relating to the health of our environment.” –Michael Lacy, Head of Sustainability, Richmond Football Club
Sport has Australia’s attention. It’s time for sporting clubs and organisations to leverage this interest by raising awareness of the impacts of climate change and lead by example by showing how we can protect our planet.
It is estimated that sports globally emits between 50 to 60 billion tonnes of GHG emissions each year. While there is room for the sports industry to discuss how climate change impacts sport, whether through rising temperatures impacting snow sports or heat waves impacting the health of athletes, it is therefore also crucial that it recognises its own role in reducing emissions and taking action on climate.
If you would like to find out how South Pole can help your sports club to begin its climate journey, reach out to one of our experts today.
