Boxing For The Planet: Can The Sport Find A New Way To Punch Climate Change?

The Unseen Impact of Sports on Climate Change

American white pelicans are sentinels of climate change near Lake Superior, the second fastest warming lake in the world. The pelican was one of dozens seen on the Kakagon River on June 16, 2024. / Caitlin Looby / USA TODAY NETWORK

For a long time, climate change and its effects have been seen as an alien concept, with very few able to grasp the effects and relate them to current events. Some may ask, how does the game affect our climate? Do two boxers exchanging punches in the ring impact the climate?

According to European Union’s European Climate Pact, Sport’s relationship with climate can be described as complicated: on the one hand, emissions from sports make a significant contribution to climate change, but on the other hand, heatwaves and other extreme weather phenomena negatively affect competitions and impact athletes’ health and performance.

Large sporting events attract fans from all over the world, who come to spectate and celebrate their favorite players, thereby generating massive amounts of Carbon dioxide (CO2), which is one of the Greenhouse gases. The recently held Riyadh Season boxing showdown at Wembley Stadium in London hosted the highly anticipated fight night between Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois.

Attendance was in excess of 95,000, with huge carbon footprints. The carbon footprints measure the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by a person’s activities, including travel, energy use and the amount of waste generated. 

Some attendees flew in and out of the country to witness the match, generating and leaving significant amounts of waste during the event. On average, each person generates about 14 kg (30 lbs) of CO2 per day, contributing to the overall CO2 levels in the atmosphere and impacting climate change.

Former Slovenian Climate Pact Ambassador and Olympic kayaker Urša Kragelj urges fellow athletes to participate in climate action: “Firstly, advocate for an issue that is dear to your heart. Talk to your institutions and organizations and try to make a change, such as reducing waste at events.”

Although no prominent boxers are currently championing climate change specifically, numerous athletes from various sports are leveraging their influence to bring environmental concerns to the limelight. For example, long-distance swimmer Lewis Pugh, who is the UN's Patron of the Oceans, has taken on swims in vulnerable ecosystems to draw attention to the effects of climate change.

World bodies are beginning to act; Swissnex for the planet, an initiative to explore a new form of diplomacy focused on rebalancing human and non-human interests on this planet, held the Climate Ring, a pop-up boxing arena for the fight of the century: the one for planet Earth.

Akin to a 12-round boxing match, the Climate ring, presented by Swissnex, saw more than 75 global speakers step into a boxing ring in New York’s East Village to join in the fight of the century: the fight for our planet.

From September 25 to 27, the event welcomed heavyweights and rising stars from education, research, innovation, and the arts, highlighting Swiss contributions to global climate efforts. An article from their site revealed that, over twelve rounds, presenters took on climate change from every angle – from fashion to food systems and sustainable aviation to coastal adaptation.

“We were inspired by the metaphor of boxing because it represents many of the same qualities we need to take on climate change: persistence and resilience in the face of setbacks, and the ability to adapt under pressure. To represent that fighting spirit, we decided to host our events in a real boxing ring,” said Benjamin Bollmann, CEO of Swissnex in Boston and New York.

Is it time we started the conversation? Rightfully so, all other actors are beginning to take steps to reduce the harmful effects of their actions on climate change. We need to walk the talk and get more boxers, promoters and sponsors into the scene to advocate for climate action in order to reduce the impact boxing as a sport has on the emission of greenhouse gases into the environment and other adverse effects on the climate and human health.