CU Boulder Signs On To Promote Climate Action Through Sports

The University of Colorado at Boulder became the first school to join a United Nations (UN) initiative that “jointly develop climate action agenda in sports.”

Sports for Climate Action is a framework that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and bring more publicity to climate change initiatives. The UN claims climate change negatively impacts sports like heat waves forcing events to be held at differently planned times and playing surfaces getting damaged due to extreme weather conditions or pests remaining in locations longer than desired.

The New York Yankees, the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics and the NBA are some of the organizations that are signatories to the agreement, a CU Boulder press release said Monday.

“We’re thrilled to be an early adopter of the U.N. Sports for Climate Action Framework,” CU Athletic Director Rick George said, according to the news release.

Those who sign the agreement must commit to the following:

• Undertaking systematic efforts to promote greater environmental responsibility;

• Reducing overall climate impact;

• Educating for climate action;

• Promoting sustainable and responsible consumption;

• Advocating for climate action through communication

This is not the first time CU Boulder has been involved in sustainability efforts. The school was the first NCAA Division I school to have a sustainability program which resulted in the school building four LEED Platinum buildings and packing in the stadium was either recyclable, refillable or compostable.

“Being sustainable is the right thing to do,” CU Boulder spokesperson Ryan Huff said to The Daily Caller News Foundation over email Tuesday. “And given how many people are watching our games in person or on TV, we have a chance to set a good example so others are sustainable in their daily lives, too.”