Discussion: Sports for Climate Action
in: Orienteering; General
Dec 13, 2018 2:12 PM
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Wonderful to see this.
17 big sporting organizations - including @UEFA, @iocmedia & more - joined the race against climate change with the launch of the Sports Climate Action Framework at the UN Climate Conference #COP24 in Poland this week. https://t.co/nloqmX4fyz pic.twitter.com/PMJGnZGoiv
— United Nations (@UN) December 13, 2018
Dec 13, 2018 3:56 PM
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Has the IOF signed on or expressed support for this? It seems particularly appropriate thing for the IOF to do given the natural environment is also our sporting environment!
Dec 13, 2018 11:36 PM
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A dispassionate look might disappoint us. Way back in one of the oil crises a total-cost analysis of fuel use showed motorsport in a good light (possibly it was barrels of oil per person involved). Horse racing turned out bad due to the travel of everyone including spectators. Even tho we have no spectators, we do a lot of travel.
Dec 17, 2018 9:41 AM
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I'm not aware of IOF having been approached (or exactly what it entails), but will follow up with them. From reading that article it looks like it's open to national and sub-national bodies as well as international federations. I think it's something IOF would do well to look at - and not every international sporting federation has an IPCC lead author on one of its committees....
IOF did propose a draft update of its environment policy last year to cover this area but it doesn't seem to have gone anywhere, I suspect partly because some of what was proposed would have been impractical in places where orienteering venues aren't as accessible to public transport as they are in, say, Switzerland. (I don't know if it's an official policy, but every event I've ever been to in Switzerland has been accessible by public transport - usually normal routes, but occasionally a shuttle bus).
gruver's right that our largest single climate impact is transport. Hopefully that will become less of an issue in the next decade or two (at least for land transport) as electric vehicles become more common (and the electricity that runs them becomes cleaner). One big positive we have, of course, is if there's a serious push to plant trees as carbon offsets, that also has the useful side-effect of potentially providing new venues for our sport - I'm sure I'm not the only person who's looked at bits of rocky, treeless hill country which must be pretty marginal for any sort of agriculture and fantasised about covering it with trees.
IOF did propose a draft update of its environment policy last year to cover this area but it doesn't seem to have gone anywhere, I suspect partly because some of what was proposed would have been impractical in places where orienteering venues aren't as accessible to public transport as they are in, say, Switzerland. (I don't know if it's an official policy, but every event I've ever been to in Switzerland has been accessible by public transport - usually normal routes, but occasionally a shuttle bus).
gruver's right that our largest single climate impact is transport. Hopefully that will become less of an issue in the next decade or two (at least for land transport) as electric vehicles become more common (and the electricity that runs them becomes cleaner). One big positive we have, of course, is if there's a serious push to plant trees as carbon offsets, that also has the useful side-effect of potentially providing new venues for our sport - I'm sure I'm not the only person who's looked at bits of rocky, treeless hill country which must be pretty marginal for any sort of agriculture and fantasised about covering it with trees.
Dec 17, 2018 9:59 AM
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I've started listing public transport advice in our online calendar, where it is feasible. I don't think it has changed any behaviour so far, but from small beginnings...
Dec 17, 2018 1:44 PM
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"not every international sporting federation has an IPCC lead author on one of its committees.... "
That's for sure. I wonder how many climate researchers are in the orienteering community globally compared to other sports that are much larger? I imagine orienteering has a higher percentage of academics than most sports.
I also agree that orienteers are more likely to be stewards of forests and other ecosystem carbon sinks. There are likely many examples where orienteers and/or orienteering clubs were critical in local and regional forest conservation, forest planting, land acquisition, etc. And while our transportation carbon footprint is high we have very little carbon footprint in the building of our sports infrastructure compared to most sports. Yet that infrastructure (our forests) are increasingly at risk with climate change. As extreme weather and climate-mediated disasters both increase it will make orienteering racing and training "disruptions" more common. For example, summer wildfires in BC are making hosting major races in the summer more risky (not to mention California and Australia). Blair, if you bring this up with IOF keep me informed as I may be interested in being involved.
Here is a great Ted talk on climate change communication from Katharine Hayhoe (a Canadian living in Texas).
That's for sure. I wonder how many climate researchers are in the orienteering community globally compared to other sports that are much larger? I imagine orienteering has a higher percentage of academics than most sports.
I also agree that orienteers are more likely to be stewards of forests and other ecosystem carbon sinks. There are likely many examples where orienteers and/or orienteering clubs were critical in local and regional forest conservation, forest planting, land acquisition, etc. And while our transportation carbon footprint is high we have very little carbon footprint in the building of our sports infrastructure compared to most sports. Yet that infrastructure (our forests) are increasingly at risk with climate change. As extreme weather and climate-mediated disasters both increase it will make orienteering racing and training "disruptions" more common. For example, summer wildfires in BC are making hosting major races in the summer more risky (not to mention California and Australia). Blair, if you bring this up with IOF keep me informed as I may be interested in being involved.
Here is a great Ted talk on climate change communication from Katharine Hayhoe (a Canadian living in Texas).
Dec 17, 2018 7:58 PM
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I'm not convinced that our transportation footprint is high. There are lots of activities that involve travel. But we don't drag along a lot of equipment when we do it. The required gear can easily fit in a small bag. Maybe even in your pockets.
Dec 17, 2018 8:12 PM
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I bet there are a lot more air miles used by downhill skiers every year than by orienteers.
Dec 17, 2018 9:22 PM
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Well there's two groups of orienteers: one group just trains and competes locally, has no interest in OUSA rankings, and watches football at home on Sunday afternoons.
The other group are the 'orienteering aristocracy.' They fly coast-to-coast for a weekend event, plan O trips to Europe several times a year, collect Gold or Silver rankings each season, have a closet-full of Billygoat shirts, and enjoy the social status of having the time, money and inclination to attend meets in all the 'correct' venues.
We've had some noteworthy orienteers who have taken a look at the environmental cost of our sport, and have opted out. Perhaps this UN program will cause a few others to forgo a couple of their trips next year.
The other group are the 'orienteering aristocracy.' They fly coast-to-coast for a weekend event, plan O trips to Europe several times a year, collect Gold or Silver rankings each season, have a closet-full of Billygoat shirts, and enjoy the social status of having the time, money and inclination to attend meets in all the 'correct' venues.
We've had some noteworthy orienteers who have taken a look at the environmental cost of our sport, and have opted out. Perhaps this UN program will cause a few others to forgo a couple of their trips next year.
Dec 17, 2018 9:50 PM
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Yeah, traveling is definitely evil. Wait, how much travel is involved in putting together those Sunday afternoon football games that group A stays home to watch? If you add up the total footprint do they really come out ahead?
Dec 17, 2018 10:23 PM
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Lots of other sports, not just orienteering, are not sustainable at national level, if the price of gas/fuel is set at the real, "social" cost, like it is done in France or GB.
Due to low density of population orienteering is doomed as well at the local, club level, except maybe in a few places close to NYC, DC, or Boston.
Due to low density of population orienteering is doomed as well at the local, club level, except maybe in a few places close to NYC, DC, or Boston.
Dec 18, 2018 12:25 AM
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Cristina: I'm sure you're right, but the total air miles by US orienteers is also probably dwarfed by things like people visiting art museums. Or microbreweries. Or going to Nields concerts.
Dec 18, 2018 3:20 AM
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"[T]he social status of having the time, money and inclination to attend meets in all the 'correct' venues."
Wow, just wow.
Wow, just wow.
Dec 18, 2018 4:26 PM
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I bet DarthBalter emits less greenhouse gases each year than a single deer he is competing with in woods. Including transportation footprint.
Lets take DarthBalter as an example to follow, ex. use biking and running as main means of transportation.
Lets take DarthBalter as an example to follow, ex. use biking and running as main means of transportation.
Dec 21, 2018 12:38 AM
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Saying that participation in one's sport of choice has a lower carbon 'cost' than other people is not the point.
The point is, each person needs to examine the carbon cost of his/her/their behaviours (and, why not, other ethical considerations?) and make changes as necessary.
Don't beat up on others, or let their behaviour be an excuse for personal inaction.
Lead by example.
Relatives and friends (who commute year round in all weather by foot or bike in places like ottawa and whitehorse) have inspired me to commute on foot 3x/week, carpool whenever possible, and focus on local sporting events.
The point is, each person needs to examine the carbon cost of his/her/their behaviours (and, why not, other ethical considerations?) and make changes as necessary.
Don't beat up on others, or let their behaviour be an excuse for personal inaction.
Lead by example.
Relatives and friends (who commute year round in all weather by foot or bike in places like ottawa and whitehorse) have inspired me to commute on foot 3x/week, carpool whenever possible, and focus on local sporting events.
Dec 21, 2018 1:57 AM
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White depletion of cheap sources of energy will occur in the near future,
global climate change remains largely a myth, a religion of liberal-progressives, who have no interest in the truth.
Extinction will happen via over-population, and the resulting (nuclear0 war for the remaining resources.
global climate change remains largely a myth, a religion of liberal-progressives, who have no interest in the truth.
Extinction will happen via over-population, and the resulting (nuclear0 war for the remaining resources.
This discussion thread is closed.