There is an increasing knowledge of the connection between sport and climate change as sport affects and is affected by this crisis. There is also a rising recognition that sport is vital in combating climate change due to its broad reach spanning diverse human interests, social backgrounds and geographical contests.
Sporting organisations and personalities in the western world have upped their game in contributing to combatting climate change. There has, however, been very little of that in Africa. Despite producing less than four per cent of all global emissions, Africa is the most impacted by the climate crisis. To encourage greater participation in Africa, Play The Game Academy, in collaboration with The Football Foundation for Africa, will offer a short course to sports practitioners and policymakers on the continent on the link between sport and climate change.
The course will introduce participants to the relationship between sport and the global climate crisis, focusing on how Africa will be impacted and how the continent can respond.
It has been created as a collaboration between Play the Game and David Goldblatt, the British sports writer, broadcaster, author, sociologist and academician, who will be the course coordinator.
We look forward to working with Play the Game Academy to bring the Sport and Climate Change conversation to Africa.
The first cohort includes 23 participants drawn from 8 countries, including Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda.
The course will run for four weeks. Each week participants are asked to spend around 90 minutes on reading and preparation and join a 90-minute online seminar. The scheduled dates for the inaugural delivery of the course are Feb 7, Feb 14, Feb 21, and Feb 28.
African Sport and the Climate Crisis Course Content
Participants will have access to Play the Game’s extensive theme page about the sport and climate space and will be directed to several key documents, reports and news stories.
Week 1. How is the climate crisis threatening global sport? How will African sports be affected?
Week 2. How is global sport contributing to the climate crisis? What is the carbon footprint of the worldwide sports industry? What key policies are required to reduce those emissions, and what political and social challenges will the process face?
Week 3. How is sports’ response to the climate crisis being governed? What role can and should Africa play in this process?
Week 4. Challenges for the future. Sport and the fossil fuel industry. Sport and degrowth? Global financial transfers and the climate crisis. Sports and the UN’s SDGs.
About Play the Game Academy
Play the Game Academy is organised by Play the Game, an initiative run by the Danish Institute for Sports Studies that aims to raise the ethical standards of sports and promote democracy, transparency, and freedom of expression in world sports. Play the Game was founded in 1997 and has become a unique independent platform for raising and developing awareness about critical issues in modern sports, such as doping, corruption, good governance, match-fixing, sustainability of mega-events, the role of sports journalism, and the human rights of athletes. Learn more at www.playthegame.org
About The Football Foundation for Africa
The Football Foundation for Africa is an international social enterprise that seeks to drive investment in grassroots development in Africa, aiming to improve the quality of opportunities in football and through football on the continent. We also aim to protect the foundations of African football, namely youth, talent and passion, by promoting better governance of the beautiful game at all levels.
FFA recognises that the environmental impact of football and supporting activities such as infrastructure development and maintenance, transportation, sports manufacturing, fan activities, and behaviour need to be analysed and mitigation measures instituted. FFA is keen on ensuring a sustainable approach to sports development. As part of its Sustainable Corporate Strategy, FFA focuses on SDG 13 – Climate Action, owing to the need to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact. FFA appreciates the importance of our natural environment to all our industries, including football.
Back to Blog 
