The global sports community is increasingly committed to combating climate change. We have seen first-hand the impact that climate change is having on sporting activities.
Storms and flooding damage facilities, low-snow winters cause ski events to be cancelled, and the incidence of heat stroke is rising.
Events are being rescheduled, relocated, or cancelled due to extreme heat and bushfire smoke.
Climate change not only impacts sport, but sport also contributes to climate change through greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with travel, energy use, construction, catering and various goods and services.
Initiatives like the UNFCCC’s Sports for Climate Action Framework highlight the role of sports in driving climate action and raising awareness.
We recognise that sport and organisations such as ours have a carbon footprint that contribute to the problem. But we can also be part of the solution.
“In January this year the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) confirmed that 2024 was the warmest year on record. Blazing temperatures require trail-blazing climate action, and the VIS is acting now,” said VIS CEO, Nicole Livingstone OAM.
“As the leader in high-performance sport in Victoria we are in a unique position to set an example for our state-wide partners and for the broader Victorian community.”
By developing a Climate Action Plan, the VIS is taking a proactive stance to ensure that sports can thrive in a changing climate while promoting sustainability and resilience within the community.
Embedding sustainability into our pursuit of Success in Sport and Life, the VIS’ mission is to foster a greener, healthier future for all by actively contributing to a climate-resilient Victoria.
Photo: VIS race walker, climate activist and member of the VIS Sustainability Squad, Rhydian Cowley, competing at the 2022 Oregon World Athletics Championships.
“The Climate Action Plan is intended to be the first of many, and future plans will build on the foundation created by this inaugural framework,” Livingstone added.
“As our Olympic medal-winning racewalker Rhydian Cowley recently said in an interview with the ABC: ‘It’s one thing to be concerned about it and know about it, and another thing to do something about it.’”
We are at the beginning of our Sustainability journey. We have formed a Sustainability Squad, made up of 18 enthusiastic staff and athlete representatives and are in the early stages of implementing the strategies and measures of our Climate Action Plan.
In the first meeting, the group came up with almost 50 initiatives we could take direct action on, spanning from procurement to travel to education.
We prioritised the calculation of our GHG emissions in order to determine our biggest problem areas and work towards impactful emissions reduction.
The priorities of the Climate Action Plan provide a road map to achieving the VIS decarbonisation vision for the next five years (and beyond).
Our team is committed to rigorously working to ensure that sports can thrive in a changing climate while promoting sustainability and resilience within the community.
We are dedicated to leading the way for climate action in high-performance sport.
Access the VIS Climate Action Plan and learn more about the VIS’ strategies to achieve Net-Zero by 2040.
Photo: VIS race walker, Jemima Montag, assisting a Japanese competitor after a scorching race at the 2022 Oregon World Athletics Championships.
