LONDON: In a powerful show of solidarity, more than 40 world-renowned athletes have joined forces under the banner of “Adapt2Win,” a global campaign urging governments and organizations to accelerate investment in climate adaptation ahead of the upcoming COP30 summit in Brazil.
The movement brings together stars from diverse sporting disciplines — including Brazilian footballer Tamires Dias, tennis ace Beatriz Haddad Maia, and former England forward Raheem Sterling — who have collectively signed an open letter calling for urgent financial redirection towards climate resilience efforts. The athletes stressed that less than 10 percent of global climate funding currently goes toward adaptation, a gap that leaves millions vulnerable to intensifying disasters.
Tamires Dias drew a vivid comparison between sports and climate resilience, noting that while athletes train to adapt to new challenges, “climate change is a different kind of opponent — stronger, unpredictable, and impossible to face alone.”
The campaign underscores the growing impact of climate change on the sporting world itself — from heatwaves disrupting tournaments to floods damaging stadiums. It highlights that the global cost of climate-related disasters reached an alarming US$417 billion in 2024, yet adaptation initiatives remain gravely underfunded.
Beyond advocacy, Adapt2Win also amplifies real-world examples of resilience — from drought-alert systems in Kenya to heat-adaptive healthcare programs in Sierra Leone — showcasing how localized innovation can be scaled globally. Ana Toni, CEO of the COP30 Presidency, emphasized that “sports can be a unifying voice in demanding climate justice, inspiring both governments and the public to act.”
With COP30 around the corner, this athlete-driven campaign represents a fresh and emotionally resonant push for climate action — reminding the world that the race against climate change is not just a political challenge but a collective human responsibility.
This story has been reported by PakTribune. All rights reserved.