DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i08.076

Pages: 3134-3138

The global climate crisis demands transformative action across all sectors of society, including the pervasive and influential realm of sport. Thus, the paper posits that sport and physical education (PE) are not merely peripheral activities but constitute a powerful, yet underutilized, platform for climate mitigation and the cultivation of pro-environmental citizenship. The framework establishes a triad of influence: Play, Protect, Preserve. ‘Play’ represents the foundational level, where sustainable principles are embedded within the very design and delivery of sports and PE curricula which includes utilizing low-carbon equipment, adopting nature-based and low-infrastructure activities and modelling resource conservation in facilities management. ‘Protect’ focuses on the educational imperative, advocating for an explicit integration of climate literacy into sports coaching and PE teaching. Lessons can extend beyond physical skill development to explore concepts like systems thinking, ethical consumption related to sportswear and nutrition and the local impacts of climate change on play spaces and seasonal sports. Finally, ‘Preserve’ examines the role of sport as a catalyst for broader community engagement and advocacy, leveraging the social capital of teams, athletes and school programs to promote sustainable mobility, habitat restoration projects, and collective climate action. The potential impact is multifaceted. The normative power of sport can help shift public attitudes, making sustainable living more aspirational and accessible. Thus, by consciously leveraging its cultural reach, emotional resonance and educational potential, the sports sector can move from being a part of the climate problem to becoming a central protagonist in the solution, nurturing active stewards for an active planet.