FAQs

To protect where it is played and its future, sport needs to cut ties with the fossil fuel companies and high-carbon industries that are driving climate change. 

The Fossil Free Declaration exists because:

• Responsibility: Sport influences billions; partnering with polluters contradicts values of health, fairness and protecting sport for future generations.

• Survival: A 2°C warmer world could make outdoor sports unviable in many climate-vulnerable regions by 2050.

• Demand: Fans want to see more leadership from sports organisations, leagues and clubs on sustainability and climate action. 

Opportunities: Sustainable sponsors (renewables etc.) offer long-term partnerships aligned with climate commitments.

Cool Down is the Sport for Climate Action Network, comprising over 40 global sporting organisations and campaigns working to ensure the sporting community leads the way on a rapid and fair climate transition.

If you’re an individual athlete, sporting organisation, or any other sporting event or structure that can receive sponsorship from businesses, the declaration is for you.

The Fossil Free Declaration is designed as a recognised and respected hallmark of climate ambition and action within the international sports community. It is designed as a baseline for organisations to build from, and focuses on commercial partnerships and sponsorship deals between sports organisations and the fossil fuel and high-carbon companies that are disproportionately responsible for climate change. 

“What are the Fossil Free Criteria of the Declaration?” 

For us, the Fossil Free Criteria means ending or phasing out sponsorship and commercial partnerships with:  

• Fossil fuel companies (oil, gas, coal, petrochemicals).

• Airlines and airports.

• Makers of new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles (e.g., SUVs). 

While we know there are many other industries out there damaging the climate and environment, we believe that these three major sources of pollution are the right place to start to maximise impact and shift norms in sport.

No! For some athletes, the risks of being involved in a campaign calling for an end to fossil fuel sponsorship will be low.

But for others, particularly those in teams with a fossil fuel sponsor, the risk will be greater.

For those taking a greater risk, we recommend signing the Declaration anonymously. This way, your voice will still count when we talk with sports governance bodies but without your name being attached.

If your circumstances allow, please consider being a Declaration rep within your sport!

For those signing the Declaration anonymously - there are not any risks.

Should you like to help promote the Declaration to increase its influence, the primary risk as a current athlete is being accused of hypocrisy online.

Declaration reps are also advised to check over their contracts for conduct clauses. These may preclude you from speaking out against team sponsors.

No! 

While we believe all individuals should do their best (within what is accessible to them) to minimise their environmental impact, an exorbitant amount of pollution comes from a very small number of high-carbon businesses. 

Just 57 companies have been linked to 80% of greenhouse gas emissions since 2016. Individual lifestyle changes alone cannot stop climate breakdown: these industries are disproportionately responsible for the climate crisis, and they are also the ones most intent on sponsoring our sport and culture. 

To make low-carbon lifestyles more accessible, we need a top-down approach to stop promoting pollution and encouraging polluting lifestyles. We know from the history of tobacco advertising that ending advertising leads to both individual behaviour and policy change. 

While the transition away from high-carbon lifestyles may take longer, removing the advertising and sponsorship rampantly encouraging consumption and pollution is the lowest-hanging fruit to create change.

Yes! While you are not responsible for the sponsorship choices of your team, you are responsible for using your platform to advocate for the changes you would like to see in sport.

Beyond establishing a cross-sport mandate for sustainable sponsorship, joining the declaration is a non-confrontational way to signal to the team or sports organisation that you are involved in that you would like them to phase out their existing sponsorship deals with high-carbon industries.

Yes! But we strongly advise signing anonymously if this is the case.

The Fossil Fuel Treaty is a global, diplomatic framework aimed at national governments to halt extraction.

The Fossil Free Declaration is a targeted cultural pledge created by Cool Down to encourage sports organisations to reject fossil fuel sponsorships. Like a union, the Fossil Free Declaration will represent concerned fans, athletes, and sports organisations in conversations with sports governance bodies (such as the International Olympic Committee or FIFA).