IOC assigns Carbon Action Awards to celebrate Earth Day

by Chiara Aruffo

On Earth Day, celebrated worldwide on 22 April, the IOC has awarded the Carbon Action Award to 20 sports organisations that have distinguished themselves for their efforts in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

The IOC has awarded 20 sports organisations with the Carbon Action Award, established in 2019 to recognise national and international federations and committees that stand out for their actions in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This year the award went to 12 International Federations, seven National Olympic Committees and the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC).

Marie Sallois, Director of Sustainability at the IOC explained the rationale behind the Carbon Action Award: “We established this award to highlight some of the important work being done within the Olympic Movement to address climate change, we hope this work will further inspire the wider sporting community to take urgent action on climate change and other sustainability challenges“.

Carbon Action Award winners

The 12 international federations that won the award include: World Archery, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, the International Orienteering Federation, the International Skating Union, the International Sambo Federation, World Rugby, World Sailing, the International Biathlon Union, the International Federation of Sport Climbing, the International Golf Federation, the International Canoe Federation, and the International Basketball Federation.

The seven national committees include: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Great Britain, Ireland, Spain and Switzerland.

Below are some of the award-winning initiatives:

• World Sailing launched a circular economy demonstration project based on recycling carbon fibre recovered from discarded sports equipment. The aim of the project is to reduce the embedded carbon footprint of sailing equipment and open up markets for carbon fibre recycling in other sports.
• The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), motorsport’s governing body, recently completed its carbon reduction plan to cut its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, in line with the Paris Agreement. In 2021, the FIA also implemented an environmental management system certified to the ISO 14001:2015 standard.
• World Rugby recently unveiled its global sustainability plan outlining actions to be taken to reduce carbon until 2030.
• The Canadian Olympic Committee‘s offices in Toronto have been certified LEED Platinum and BOMA Best Platinum for their sustainability standards.
• The Spanish Olympic Committee in 2020 and 2021 used only energy produced from renewable sources, for a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of almost 100 per cent.

Cover picture: IOC (Olympics.org)