IBU Highly Commended in IOC Climate Action Awards 2024

The International Biathlon Union (IBU) has been recognised in the ‘Highly Commended’ category of the IOC Climate Action Awards 2024 following its leading efforts in environmental sustainability.

The IBU was highly commended for working with TV broadcasters, in collaboration with the European Broadcasting Union, to measure their carbon footprint during the 2023/24 World Cup season and identify initiatives they can implement to reduce emissions in the future, with the aim of providing learnings for other sports. The IBU is the first Olympic IF that has looked at systematically reducing its major events’ broadcasting emissions – an area that is often deemed difficult to address.

IBU Head of Sustainability Riikka Rakic said:

“To be recognised by the IOC as ‘Highly Commended’, amongst all International Federations, is a testament to the collective efforts of everyone in the biathlon family.

This project is one of many that are part of our wider IBU Sustainability Strategy 2020-2030 which aims to reduce our sport's climate impact by 50% by 2030. We believe strongly that as a sport we can only truly make a difference when we are all pulling in the same direction. "

“This project is a prime example of such a collaboration and would not have been possible without the commitment to change by our media partner European Broadcasting Union and the IBU Organising Committees worldwide. Collaboration also applies to the Olympic Movement as a whole, and we congratulate the IOC for providing a platform through the IOC Climate Action Awards 2024 for us all to learn from each other and share best practice.”

The IBU congratulates the Olympic rower Imogen Grant from Great Britain, Olympic beach volleyball player Lina Taylor from Bulgaria, Swiss Olympic and the International Hockey Federation who were named the winners of the IOC Climate Action Awards 2024.

Launched in November 2022, the IOC Climate Action Awards recognise Olympic and Paralympic athletes, IFs and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) for their proactive efforts in tackling climate change.

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