The recently concluded men's Cricket World Cup in India attracted an unprecedented number of viewers. However, the organisers were keen on concealing one aspect from the viewers (apart from India's loss to Australia in the final): the pressing issue of cricket's climate crisis.
In addition to facing the challenges of heat and humidity, players had to deal with the detrimental effects of polluted air caused by vehicles, factories, and construction. Rising temperatures further intensified these pollutants in 20 out of the 47 matches.
According to Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, the current situation is far from ideal, and this is a widely known fact.
The United Nations presents a more assertive description of the threat. Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed grave concern about the world's current trajectory, emphasising the potential for a deeply troubling and undesirable future. This future poses a severe risk to cricket's survival.
The Impact of Cricket on the Climate Crisis
Cricket, being an outdoor summer game that heavily relies on the natural environment, is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of a shifting climate.
Rising temperatures and heat waves pose risks to the well-being of athletes and fans and to the upkeep and care of sports fields.
Similarly, cricket is susceptible to increased dangers of drought and flooding. The issue of air pollution, particularly in the Indian subcontinent, persists to cast a shadow over the game.
The danger is intensified by the unstable areas where cricket is played. Bangladesh and Pakistan, the countries where New Zealand's Black Caps recently competed in their last two overseas Test series, are currently ranked seventh and eighth on the Climate Risk Index in terms of susceptibility.
Simultaneously, cricket is not just a possible casualty of the climate crisis but also plays a role in exacerbating it.
Although cricket lags behind other sports in terms of assessing its environmental footprint, it requires significant resources. Creating a cricket field requires approximately 60,000 litres of water daily, and a growing global itinerary necessitates frequent long-distance flights.
A study conducted on an Indian Premier League match revealed that it resulted in the emission of approximately 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, making it one of the limited number of studies available on this topic. Cricket's carbon footprint is quite significant.
The Intersection of Sports and Environmental Responsibility
Cricket's sustainability efforts need to catch up to those of other sports despite the game's potential existential crisis.
Aligned with the Paris Agreement, the International Olympic Committee has pledged to decrease direct and indirect carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 and has assured that the 2032 Brisbane Olympics will have a net positive impact on the climate.
FIFA, World Rugby, Formula One, and various American sports leagues, such as the NBA, all have sustainability initiatives in place. Sail GP also features an "Impact League" that evaluates the extent of environmental conservation initiatives.
Although there may be valid reasons for scepticism - FIFA organised a World Cup in the oil-rich country of Qatar, and the 2030 men's tournament will be held across two continents - at least the intention is evident.
In contrast, the International Cricket Council has yet to release a sustainability strategy. Out of all its full members, the England and Wales Cricket Board is the only one with such a strategy in place.
Out of the extensive list of over 200 sporting organisations that have committed to the UN's Sports for Climate Action Framework, which entails reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2040, only six of them are related to cricket, and the majority of these are based in England.
Lack of Action in New Zealand
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) remains just as quiet about climate change as numerous other cricket organisations around the world. The NZC strategy documents do not include any mention of environmental sustainability.
Simultaneously, the annual report for 2022-23 expresses disappointment over the fact that a significant portion of scheduled recreational fixtures in certain regions had to be cancelled due to inclement weather conditions such as rain and flooding. The document also acknowledges that the cancellations were due to unforeseeable natural disasters and civil emergencies.
New Zealand's upcoming cricket season in 2023-24 is expected to be scorching. After the destructive floods that struck Auckland in early 2023, there is a chance of a drought occurring this summer. Heatwaves are growing increasingly prolonged and increasingly hazardous.
Cricket is not designed to handle such extreme conditions. In an era when the sport is facing challenges in attracting participants, the impact of climate change is posing additional difficulties for recreational cricketers who wish to play.
The mission statement of New Zealand Cricket reads:
We anticipate the future and proactively give back. It's all about making the correct choices for the most compelling motivations, pioneering new directions, and forging our unique trail. We always persevere, surrender is not an option, and we never lose hope.
It's about time to extend those commendable sentiments to its approach to the climate crisis. One way to begin is by registering for the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework and making some progress in terms of sustainability.