Tuwei: Athletics is now suffering from effects of climate change

Effects of climate change have been felt in athletics, the 29th United Nations Climate Change conference (COP29), which is currently underway in Baku, Azerbaijan has been told.

Leaders in the management of athletics among them Athletics Kenya (AK) President Lieutenant General (Retired) Jackson Tuwei told the conference that athletes are directly affected by unpleasant effects of climate change.

Tuwei, who is also the World Athletics Vice President Jackson Tuwei is leading AK delegation at COP29.

According to the AK President, climate risk was real and is affecting sports. He said athletics was among the hard-hit sports.

He expressed concern over the ever worsening effects of climate change on the sport, and called for action to reverse the trends.

“Climate change is affecting Kenya’s high performing and upcoming athletes, and the impact is felt during training and also at international competitions,” Tuwei said.

“Athletics is a top sport in Kenya and we are concerned, and so are other athletics nations. Taking action is now not optional for us. Seeking partnership like we have with UNEP and Stockholm Environment Institute to help further address this crisis in line with our commitment on Climate action is paramount.” In a video released to coincide with ‘Sports for Climate Action: Playing to Win Against Climate Change’, at the COP29, Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen explained some of how AK was involving the athletics community in the fight against climate change.

Murkomen said the government will support AK in its effort to mitigate effects of climate change.

“The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports recognises that despite being the least contributors to GreenHouse Gas emissions and Climate change, Kenya is taking a leadership role on this critical global agenda,” Murkomen said.

He added: “We are happy with the work Athletics Kenya is doing on delivering on the The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) commitment and the Government will continue to offer support.”

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said athletes are providing creative solutions to climate change.

“Our athletes continue to speak clearly and passionately about the ways that the climate crisis is impacting their lives and their sport,” he told the conference.

“The science is clear. We must continue to act on our athletes’ concerns and use the influence we have as the world’s most universal sport to ensure a healthy environment, for the future of our sport and the future of our planet.”

Coe lauded AK, saying it had embedded sustainability and care for the environment into all its competitions since becoming a signatory to the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework.

“Our Kenyan colleagues understand the important role that sport can have to combat climate change and have taken it to heart. The Cabinet Secretary’s participation at COP29 underscores that urgency,” the World Athletics President said.

The ‘Sports for Climate Action: Playing to Win Against Climate Change’ was a two-hour panel session that brought together ministers, athletes and sustainability practitioners from around the world to discuss actions and strategies to help sport address the climate crisis, at the COP29. 

Two-time Olympic 800m champion David Rudisha and American Olympian Sam Mattis (dicuss thrower) and took part in an athlete panel discussion.

In 2021, World Athletics signed on to The Sport for Climate Action Framework, a commitment to measure, reduce and offset its carbon emissions while advocating for climate action among its stakeholders.

Later that year, Athletics Kenya became the first member federation to join World Athletics as a signatory and has quickly become one of our sport’s leading voices in the battle against climate change.

Also coinciding with COP29, is the release of World Athletics findings from its fourth annual survey that gauged the attitudes of elite athletes about environmental and social issues.

This year’s survey was conducted at the World Athletics Under-20 Championships in Lima, Peru, to focus on the concerns of our sport’s younger athletes.

A survey of 141 athletes from 51 countries found that their concerns about the environment largely mirrored those of athletes who participated in previous World Athletics surveys conducted in 2021, 2022 and 2023.