Misguided Sport sponsorship notion

Nowadays sport is thriving rapidly parallel with the development of modern technology. Not infrequently this involves the use of digital tools and financial support to maximize the results of each aspect. Unfortunately, this is not thoroughly planned properly so that triggering some part that the major sponsors of the world of sports produces a lot of carbon emissions that damage progress in the effort to tackle global warming.

Overall more than 250 sponsorship deals involving high carbon industries sports, such as football, cycling, tennis and basketball are specifically targeted by high-carbon companies due to their popularity shows that their reach extends to all categories of sports. The promotion of high carbon products and services through sponsorship is a serious issue for the future of our climate.

High carbon companies cannot expect to keep deliberately marketing products which are driving potentially runaway, catastrophic climate destabilisation without facing any public scrutiny. The burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) – which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere – is the primary contributor to anthropogenic (human caused) climate change. According to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), fossil fuel emissions must be halved within 10 years for even a reasonable chance of global heating being limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

The irony of environmentally friendly cycling being sponsored by a fossil fuel company called Ineos. Ineos sponsorship of cycling is seen as an attempt to “sportswash” its image by attaching its name to a high-profile cycling team and a green sport. The greatest irony is that despite receiving sponsorship from companies that are directly causing havoc to the climate, global sports are particularly vulnerable to climate breakdown’s present and future impacts, which represent a major threat for the sustainability.

It’s equally questionable for sports organisations to claim climate neutrality while accepting money from companies who are directly undermining their climate commitments. If global sports is to take the issue of climate breakdown seriously, it must be consistent and coherent and review its partnerships with organisations whose practices go against their efforts to preserve the future of our planet.

Sources used during this writing

• https://www.bbc.com/sport/56472720
• www.newweather.org
• https://www.brujulabike.com/portugal-biggest-bicycle-manufacturer-europe/
• http://trinomics.eu/project/template-web-fiche-insert-short-title-2-2-3-2/