The future of sports depends on climate action

This week Talking Climate is hosted by two people who've felt climate change firsthand on the field: retired pro soccer (football!) player Imani Dorsey and current pro Jasmyne Spencer. 

⚽ Good news: Athletes everywhere are speaking up on climate and people are listening. Efforts range from integrating sustainability into college sports to climate-proofing community playing fields.

🌡️ Not-so-good news: The heat is already here, from Imani's near-collapse from heat exhaustion after a match to triathlons cancelled, youth tournaments suspended, and pro games played under wildfire smoke this summer alone.

📣 What you can do: You don't have to be an athlete or a climate scientist to make a difference. The most powerful thing any of us can do is use our voice, sharing our own story or backing teams and events going green.

Thank you to Anne Cloud with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Voice Over for the Planet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for narrating this edition of Talking Climate. 

Post-production and mix by John Crowley at Loudmouth Studio.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.talkingclimate.ca

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

Welcome to Talking Climate with Katherine Hayho. Each episode, we explore how climate change is affecting the people, places, and things we love, and what we can do to make a difference. From science to solutions and stories that inspire, you're in the right place for real talk about real change. Two summers ago, Lou Blaustein, the founder of Eco Athletes, guest-edited a Talking Climate edition on Green Sports. Lou built Eco Athletes around a simple idea. Athletes are among the most trusted voices we have, and the climate fight needs them on the field. This week I'm passing the mic to two people who are living out that mission. Retired professional soccer football player Amani Dorsey Kunzweiler and current pro Jasmine Spencer, both eco-athletes champions. Amani spent eight seasons as a forward and defender in the National Women's Soccer League, NWSL, after graduating from Duke University in 2018 with a degree in environmental science. She was named the 2018 NWSL Rookie of the Year and helped lead Gotham FC to the 2023 NWSL Championship. Amani was instrumental in negotiating the first collective bargaining agreement for the NWSL and is a founding board member of the Black Women's Players Collective, where she serves as the current executive director. After retiring from professional soccer, she returned to her Alma Modern last December as Duke Athletics Climate and Sustainability Coordinator, where she's weaving the university's climate commitment into every part of the athletic program. Jasmine has played professional soccer since the NWSL's founding season in 2013, currently playing for Canada's new Northern Super League, where she helped Vancouver Rise FC capture the league's first ever championship last year. Her impact also extends well beyond the pitch. She founded her own sustainable apparel company, sits on the executive board of the Black Women's Player Collective, and was one of Eco Athletes' original champions. She is also the co-founder of the Green Horizons Collective, a nonprofit that aims to teach kids about environmental stewardship. Together, Amani and Jasmine represent eco-athletes at its best. Professional athletes who've turned their platforms toward building a more sustainable future for sport and for all of us. Take it away, Amani and Jasmine. Good news. Amani. My time as a professional athlete left me constantly evaluating the impact I was having, not just on the field, but on my teammates, my community, and the sport itself. The good news is I'm not alone. Athletes around the world are increasingly standing up and speaking out on climate change, and people are listening. The work of inspiring Duke student athletes through the student-led Duke Sustainable Athletics Group eventually led me back to my alma mater, where I now work in sustainability for Duke Athletics. In alignment with the university's climate commitment, we're embedding sustainability across our athletics department through operations, fan engagement, and student athlete leadership and development. Last year we launched the Athletics Climate Team, a cross-functional group of coaches, staff, and student athletes working together to advance sustainability initiatives across Duke Athletics. Every day I see the opportunity sports have, not only to inspire people, but also to help build a more sustainable future. Jasmine. That experience challenged a lesson many athletes are taught early on: push through discomfort. As extreme heat, poor air quality, and severe weather become more common due to a change in climate, more athletes will face these challenges. Sports have long been a platform for leadership and social change. Athletes don't need to be climate experts to contribute to the conversation. Our experiences can help people connect climate change to something deeply personal, their health, their communities, and the future of the sports they love. Jasmine. Climate change is no longer an issue to worry about in the future. It is here, and it is disrupting life now. And it's impacting the things we love most, our ability to play and engage with sports. The climate crisis is supercharging extreme weather, making it an increasingly disruptive force in the games we watch and play. In the past two months alone, several major sporting events have been bedeviled by extreme weather. The Iron Man 70.3 triathlon race in Nice, France was canceled due to a heat wave. Weeks later, Gotham FC's record-setting game at City Field was overshadowed by questions and concerns of player and fan health and safety after the game proceeded despite the unhealthy air quality due to the spread of smoke from Canadian wildfires. And the next day, Target USA Cup, which draws thousands of youth soccer players from dozens of countries each summer, was suspended in Minnesota after the same wave of wildfire smoke pushed air quality to hazardous levels. The 2026 FIFA World Cup was the hottest World Cup since the competition began in 1930. A Guardian analysis found that close to 20% of matches were played under heat and humidity conditions that FIFPR, the players' union, has flagged as dangerous enough to warrant delaying or postponing play. Some 20 games were played at wet bulb globe temperatures that hit or exceeded 28 degrees Celsius, 82 Fahrenheit. Time is of the essence to start investing in climate-resilient strategies to preserve the future of sport. What you can do. Amani and Jasmine. You don't need to be a climate scientist or a professional athlete to make a difference. One of Catherine's central messages is that the most powerful thing any of us can do is to use our voice. For athletes, that might mean sharing your own experiences with extreme heat, poor air quality, or the places in nature that matter most to you. For fans, it might mean supporting teams and organizations embracing sustainability, showing up for green sporting events, or simply starting conversations about how climate affects your daily life. Across the sports world, sustainability efforts are gaining momentum. From professional leagues and venues to college campuses and local communities. The more we engage with and support these efforts, the faster they can grow. Sports teach us that meaningful progress doesn't happen because of one star player. It happens when everyone understands their role and works toward a common goal. Climate action is no different. The solutions exist. The momentum is growing. Now the challenge and the opportunity is scaling that progress together. As athletes, fans, parents, coaches, and community members, we all have a role to play in building a future where both people and planet can thrive. Thank you for listening to Talking Climate, narrated by Ann Cloud, post-production and mixed by John Crowley at Loudmouth Studio. For more resources, links, and actions you can take, check out the full newsletter at www.talkingclimate.ca. Until next time, keep talking climate.