‘Anyone who has taken a run in a forest or sailed on a lake knows how closely sports are connected to nature,” said Stewart Maginnis, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) deputy director-general. “At the same time, sports also impact nature in various ways.”

It might not seem like it, but sports organisations have a responsibility to take part in the fight against climate change.

Dr Pedro Monteiro, chief oceanographer at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, previously told Daily Maverick that “the rise in the incidence, magnitude and persistence of extreme events (heat, water cycle, storms) as a result of the continued greenhouse gas emissions will increasingly constrain our social choices, including sports”.

“This is likely also to be felt in the planning of large sports events such as world cups and Olympic Games that require long lead times and conditions that accommodate large numbers of people comfortably.”  

Read more in Daily Maverick: Climate change shifting the goalposts for global sport

Dom Rumbles, chief communications officer for World Rugby, agreed, telling Daily Maverick that “there are more frequent examples of rugby grounds being unplayable because of flood or drought, and instances where games must be cancelled because of smog from bush fires, or extreme heat or storm events”.

Rumbles acknowledged that several of World Rugby’s member unions are from the Pacific Islands, which are among the most vulnerable communities on Earth to the impacts of climate change, including rising sea levels and violent storms. 

But it’s not just to do with the ability to play sport – this year’s Rugby World Cup sold 2.5 million tickets, and brought in close to 600,000 international supporters to France – having the potential to create a significant carbon and biodiversity impact.

World Rugby has ostensibly noted this responsibility, with World Rugby chairperson Bill Beaumont saying: “The climate crisis is arguably the biggest challenge facing humanity and our planet’s fragile ecosystems. It is affecting all areas of our lives and with it, our ability to play the sport we love. 

“Like all successful teams, everyone has an important part to play.”

World Rugby was one the first international signatories to both the IUCN Sports for Nature Framework in January 2023, to contribute to efforts to halt biodiversity loss, and the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework in 2019, to take responsibility for their climate footprint.

This is about rugby uniting to protect all our futures. Society is facing its biggest ever crises and rugby can play a big role in positive change.

Radhika Murti, director of the IUCN Centre for Society and Governance, told Daily Maverick that the Sports for Nature Framework is designed to complement the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, and will help create synergies in its implementation, including efforts to build sustainable supply chains.

Murti added that the IUCN is proud that World Rugby is a signatory to the Sports for Nature Framework and that it will report annually on its progress to the IUCN, which will provide actionable recommendations.

The UN Environment Programme, which co-created the Sports for Nature Framework with the IUCN and the International Olympic Committee, said that World Rugby is a leading partner in the Sports for Nature initiative and is working on rugby-specific guidance as to what rugby can do to support nature – which no other sport in the initiative has developed yet.

Jesse Kriel on the attack during South Africa’s World Cup match against Tonga at Stade Velodrome in Marseille on 1 October 2023. (Photo: Johan Orton / Gallo Images)

World Rugby’s sustainability plan

“This is about rugby uniting to protect all our futures,” said Rumbles, “Society is facing its biggest ever crises and rugby can play a big role in positive change.”

Rumbles said that following a wide-ranging consultation process with world leading experts for more than 12 months, World Rugby developed an Environmental Sustainability Plan, a “concrete blueprint” to address climate action, incorporate the circular economy (managing materials and resources) and protect the natural environment by 2030.

Tangible goals include:

• World Rugby pledging to cut (its own) carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 without using offsetting;
• Rugby World Cup and HSBC Sevens Series to be climate-positive events by 2030;
• Embed sustainability in World Rugby’s day-to-day operations and all major decision-making processes, including RWC host selection; and
• Reduce single-use and short-life items by 80% by 2030.

How RWC 2023 is trying to be more sustainable 

RWC 2023 is only using existing infrastructure (stadiums, MMC, IBC) and not doing any significant refurbishing.

90,000 (reusable) beer cups in one day

The sweltering conditions during the South Africa-Scotland game on 10 September in Marseille, with temperatures peaking at 36°C, caused the 60,000 spectators to drink a record 90,000 beers during the match.

“We thought we had sufficient supplies based on previous records, but those records were broken,” France 2023 CEO Julien Collette said at the time. 

But what happened to all that plastic?

Rumbles said all drinks sold in the stadiums are reusable cups, where a deposit is paid on purchase and returned when the cups are. 

More than 85% of all team movements here [between the nine host cities in France], anything below five-and-a-half hours, is by train and bus – a leap forward for events

There are also recycling stations within the stadiums and host cities that offer recycling for support signage.

“All food options are also locally sourced, reducing transportation where possible, including a focus on plant-based options, which are central to supporting the planet,” added Rumbles.

Transport

Rumbles said that while RWC 2023’s exact carbon footprint can only be known after the event and the data collection process, estimations based on ticket holders’ data and hypothesis indicate 80% of the carbon footprint would be from the almost 600,000 international spectators’ air travel.

In terms of travelling in the host country, Rumbles said, “we are encouraging fans to use the excellent public transport options in the host nation. Indeed, all flights under two-and-a-half hours are prohibited in France, while the rapid TGV service [France’s intercity high-speed rail service], is faster than flying, and certainly less impactful.”

Rumbles added that what’s positive is that almost 40% of fans have come from the UK, and the Eurostar [railway between some European countries] experienced its busiest month yet in September – indicating that many international spectators travelled by train.

“Importantly, more than 85% of all team movements here [between the nine host cities in France], anything below five-and-a-half hours, is by train and bus – a leap forward for events,” said Rumbles.

​​Carbon impact

World Rugby is measuring the event carbon footprint after the event, following ADEME (French environment and energy management agency) methodology to set a baseline for future RWCs.

“For the direct emissions [things they can control] we are doing our best to reduce our footprint,” said Rumbles. 

For example, biofuel, which has 68% fewer emissions than traditional fuels, was used for all external generators necessary for the host broadcast production.

TotalEnergies’ sponsorship of the Rugby World Cup, and of our rugby captain, Siya Kolisi, is unfortunately tainting their reputations.

World Rugby has committed to absorb the carbon impact of all media, teams and tournament guest programme’s participation in RWC 2023, through committing about €200,000 to the overall event’s carbon budget.

France 2023 will also make an additional €1-million investment and Lyon metropolises are committing €400,000.

Rumbles said this money will go towards a diverse range of carbon sink projects, certified and in line with Verified Carbon Standard – such as carbon absorption through mangrove restoration projects, since mangroves store five to 10 times more CO2 than tropical forests.

Greenwashing?

While this all sounds too good to be true it would be remiss to ignore that this World Cup has been criticised for having TotalEnergies as its sponsor, while World Rugby has committed to sustainable action.

Greenpeace International posted an animation of oil filling up the Stade de France to illustrate how the fossil fuel industry produces a stadium full of oil every three hours and 37 minutes.

Stephen Horn, the South African director of the Clean Creatives campaign against greenwashing, said: “TotalEnergies’ sponsorship of the Rugby World Cup, and of our rugby captain, Siya Kolisi, is unfortunately tainting their reputations. 

“The oil major does not have a legitimate decarbonisation plan in place to prevent the dangerous climate change – the effects of which many are already experiencing. The company’s new exploration projects off the South African and Namibian coasts put marine life and fishing communities at risk, while its East African Crude Oil Pipeline project has been condemned for human rights violations. 

“Like all fossil fuel companies, TotalEnergies uses PR and advertising to greenwash its image and give it the social licence to continue polluting, making record profits at the expense of everyone else.”

Rumbles for World Rugby told Daily Maverick that TotalEnergies is the local organising committee sponsor, not World Rugby, adding that, “under the new Rugby World Cup hosting model from 2025 onwards where we are owner and organiser, such a sponsorship will not be desirable”.

Sam Barratt, chief of youth, education and advocacy at the UN Environment Programme in Kenya, said that, “in terms of sponsorship, the role of fossil fuel companies in sport is a perennial issue for all of sports; we understand that Sport for Climate Action (UNFCCC) are looking at guidance on this for sports which would inform any potential position that we would take.”

Murti from the IUCN said that World Rugby signed up to the Framework after this event was planned, and that “so far, the Framework does not cover issues around the environmental impacts of sponsors of sporting organisations. But we will be looking into integrating these issues in future.” DM