Meet the Member: The Carbon Literacy Project
In the Meet the Member series, we highlight members of the Cool Down Sport for Climate Action Network and their work at the intersection of sport and climate change. This week Freddie chatted to Marjolein Thickett, Sports Lead at The Carbon Literacy Project.
Steven Lelham via Unsplash.
1. Hey Marjolein, tell us what The Carbon Literacy Project is all about? What does the organisation do?
The Carbon Literacy Project focuses on giving people the knowledge and confidence to take meaningful climate action. We offer a day’s worth of learning that covers climate change, carbon footprints, why it matters, and, importantly, what individuals and organisations can do about it.
We’re proud to say there’s nothing else quite like it. The UN recognised us as one of 100 global Transformative Action Programmes at COP21, and we continue to go from strength to strength.
Our training is aimed at three distinct audiences - “those that live, those that work, and those that study”, and we’ve now certified over 128,000 people across 8,000 organisations. We also supported Manchester City Council to launch the first Carbon Literate Locality initiative last year, where an entire community, city or region connects up its Carbon Literate community organisations, educators, employers, and economy to act together on climate through a Carbon Literate culture, so that the impact of the whole becomes far greater than the sum of its parts.
Everyone who completes Carbon Literacy training makes their own personal and organisational pledges, so the impact spreads well beyond the actual training itself.
2. Which of your projects tackling the climate and nature crises are you most excited about?
Our work with the sports sector is something that, as Sports Lead, I’m naturally hugely excited about. We developed the Carbon Literacy Sports Toolkit to support organisations across the sporting world with sector-specific, action-based materials.
The Sports Toolkit supports an organisation’s carbon-reduction strategy by educating employees, generating pledges, focusing on behaviour change, and providing learners with the skills to effectively communicate and act on the impacts of climate change.
It facilitates climate action at all levels of the sports sector, be it body, professional club, community team, or venue, and was developed with support from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games organising committee and piloted with support from UK Sport and the British Association of Sustainable Sport (BASIS).
3. What’s different and special about sport that makes it so good for mobilising climate action?
Sport is unique in the way it brings people together across borders, backgrounds and beliefs. Few things have that kind of reach, and with this influence comes responsibility. Major events have a significant environmental impact. However at the same time, they offer a huge opportunity to lead by example and inspire change.
As Chris Boardman CBE, Chair of Sport England, so aptly put it, and as we quote in our Sports Toolkit:
“We need to be able to reach out into the world of business and down into the heart of communities to motivate and galvanise action. I believe only sport has the ability to do this.”
When athletes, clubs and organisers speak out or make changes, people notice. That visibility, combined with sport’s ability to connect with fans emotionally, makes it a powerful space for climate action, not just within the sector, but far beyond.
4. What does truly green sport look like to you? What’s your vision for sport 10 years from now?
In ten years, green sport isn’t a niche - it’s the norm. Competitions go beyond carbon-neutral, embracing zero-waste events, regenerative venues, climate-positive supply chains and inclusive community programmes. Fossil fuel sponsorships are long gone, fans are climate-conscious, and clubs are leading climate action in their communities.
Truly green sport means sustainability is built in from the ground up. Travel, energy, infrastructure, food, sponsorship – all considered with the planet in mind.
It also means using sport’s platform to keep climate on the agenda; supporting athletes to speak out, educating fans, and taking a stand on issues like high-carbon sponsorships. It’s about protecting the future of sport by playing a part in protecting the planet.
5. How does being part of the Cool Down network help you?
Being part of Cool Down connects us with others who understand both the scale of the climate challenge and the specific opportunities that exist within sport. It’s a space for sharing knowledge, learning from each other, and supporting more ambitious action.
Cool Down is a valuable partner for The Carbon Literacy Project in helping build a sense of collective purpose. The climate crisis is too big for any one group to solve alone, and networks like this bring us together, help us connect the dots, and get there quicker.
Sincerely Media via Unsplash.
6. Tell us something about you and sport that most people won’t know.
My son is already pushing me more than I ever imagined would be possible in the 5k run at 7 years old. I’m not a speed demon, but with 9-minute miles already, it won’t take him long to beat me!
7. Everyone has a favourite sporting moment. What’s yours and why?
I have two; one personal and one in the public sphere.
For personal, I have to go with running the Fairfield Horseshoe this year. 19km, 3,600 feet of ascent, and eight Wainwrights ticked off. For once, I was the one running past the walkers! I don’t usually run these kinds of distances, in fact, I find running the hardest of all the sports I enjoy, so this really felt like a huge achievement for me.
As regards a public favourite sporting moment, there are two that have really stayed with me recently. First, seeing Sophie Power breastfeeding and pumping during the 103-mile Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc. This was an image that completely redefined strength and endurance for so many people and encapsulated how powerful I felt during my children’s early years. Second was watching Jasmin Paris become the first woman to finish the Barkley Marathons in March 2024, with the added bonus that she’s a Green Runner!