Sport England chair Chris Boardman has urged the sport and physical activity sector to take advantage of its unique role in society to make the "fundamental shift" required to tackle the climate crisis.
In a keynote speech at the global Sport Positive summit, he recognised the sporting organisations across the country who are leading the way in becoming more green – some of which he saw first-hand during his Pedal for Paris campaign over the summer.
But he argued that, despite the sector’s 'immense reach', it is still not doing enough and that it must use "the global megaphone only sport has" to make a telling change.
"Climate change has often – and rightly – been called a 'threat multiplier'. Like petrol on a fire, it takes existing crises – health, inequality, nature depletion – and makes them much worse," Chris told the summit in London.
"But if climate change is a 'threat multiplier', sport can be a 'solution multiplier'. And as a sector, we can choose to help society use this unique gift.
"But despite some passionate pioneers, as a sector, we aren’t yet punching our weight. So, my call to action today is for a mindset shift, and a lifting of our ambition.
"We need to give equal weight to public influencing as much as internal operations.
"We must leverage the unique platform of sport and physical activity to win hearts and minds."
He used the speech to outline how Sport England is helping the sector to take meaningful action and supporting our partners through investment, as detailed in the sustainability strategy Every Move.
In the strategy it is committed financial support for people to get active in nature, restore flooded sports pitches and help sports clubs become sustainable.
And all of its major 'system' partners must have a robust environmental strategy in place by 2027 as a condition of funding.
