BBC Sport joins United Nations climate change framework on eve of summit

BBC Sport has joined United Nation's Sports for Climate Action Framework on the eve of a two-day Sport Positive summit to address climate change.

The two-day online summit aims to discuss how sport can reduce its environmental impact and educate fans about the climate emergency.

"Like the rest of the industry, we have a duty to ensure we are doing everything we can to keep our environmental impacts to a minimum," Barbara Slater , director of BBC Sport said.

"Signing up to the UNFCC demonstrates the importance we attach to strengthening the great work we have already done in this area."

BBC Sport becomes the 157th organisation and only the second broadcaster to sign up to the framework - which has five commitments:

• Promote greater environmental responsibility

• Reduce their climate impact

• Educate for climate action

• Promote sustainable and responsible consumption;

• Advocate for climate action through communication.

Many other signatories are taking part in this week's summit. Attendees include the International Olympic Committee (IOC), NBA, Uefa, Premier League clubs and the NFL.

Sport Positive Summit founder Claire Poole said: "No one organisation in sport or elsewhere has nailed sustainability or climate change, we're all on a journey and we all still have a lot to learn".

"Covid-19 and the issues around it have brought into relief the greater need for sustainability, for resilience, for dealing with these efforts more systemically."

Susan Groh who is Associate Director of NFL Green said "The climate crisis is huge, It's going to take all of us to solve it. And I think if we can share best practices and work together, that's what it's going to take.

"Sports is a powerful entity, more people pay attention to sport than to climate or science, so if we can use the power of sports to get that message out about the environment that can have a huge impact and we can all come together to work together on that I think that's significant."

Niclas Svenningsen, manager for Global Climate Action at the UN welcomed BBC Sport, saying: "Prominent sports broadcasting companies, such as BBC Sport, have a tremendous reach and impact in terms of informing viewers and influencing sports actors.

"We look forward to their contribution as they walk the talk on climate and use their broadcast power to influence awareness, attitudes and knowledge of climate change"