
The International Biathlon Union (IBU) today launched its Sustainability Policy. This Policy provides the roadmap for the federation’s ten-year Sustainability Strategy 2020-2030 and outlines how the IBU will honour its commitment to establishing biathlon as a leader in promoting and upholding the highest standards of sustainability in sport. The Policy builds on the work the IBU begun with the approval of its strategic plan Target 26 and demonstrates the IBU’s ambitions by going beyond minimum requirements and setting an example that will influence change across the world of sport.
Olle Dahlin, IBU President and Member of the IOC Sustainability and Legacy Commission, said:
“Sustainability is an increasingly important and relevant issue in sports – and no sport is more affected by climate change than biathlon. The IBU must take a strong stance on becoming an increasingly sustainable and environmentally-friendly sport, becoming a thought leader among International Federations.
“Our Sustainability Policy and the consequent ten-year strategy have benefited from collaboration with leading external experts to ensure they represent industry best practice and will allow us to deliver tangible benefits across environmental, social and economic dimensions. Sustainability must be integrated at every level of the biathlon family from the IBU through to the National Federations, athletes and fans. With our ambitious targets for 2030 we also send a strong message about our pledge to climate action and environmental stewardship.”
The Sustainability Policy identifies the three levels at which the IBU can directly affect positive change: the IBU as an organisation; IBU events’ and the global biathlon family.
Overarching across these three audience levels, are five focus areas:
- Climate: Reducing the carbon footprint of biathlon as a sport by 4.5% annually with the aim of becoming climate neutral by 2030 and climate positive by 2034
- Sport: Ensuring the environmental neutrality of the sport
Venue & Event: Enabling biathlon venues and events to have a long-term positive impact on their host communities and the environment - People: Becoming the leading winter sport in terms of good governance, gender equality and diversity
- Awareness and Communication: Leading in advocating for climate action and sustainable development within the biathlon family and winter sports for the global fan base.
- Integral to the IBU’s commitment to sustainable development is its membership in the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework where it seeks to play a leading role in the fight against climate change. The IBU is also a member of the Mountain Summit, a group of sports organisations led by the IOC and UNEP that are concerned with the current state of the world’s mountains and committed to protecting them.