The International Table Tennis Federation has announced today it has become a signatory of the United Nations Sport for Climate Action Framework.
By joining the efforts of the global sports community to combat climate change, the ITTF commits to adhere to the following five principles:
- Undertake systematic efforts to promote greater environmental responsibility
- Reduce overall climate impact
- Educate for climate action
- Promote sustainable and responsible consumption
- Advocate for climate action through communication
The ITTF also commits to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040 and a 50% reduction by 2030 against a representative baseline.
The ITTF will incorporate these principles into strategies, policies, and procedures, and mainstream them within the table tennis communities, thus, setting the stage for broader dissemination of the message and long-term success. A new position will be created to focus on these objectives and their implementation.
ITTF President Petra Sörling said:
“I am highly delighted the ITTF has signed the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework. With the intensity and frequency of extreme weather seen worldwide in these past months, the only conclusion is that sustainability is no longer a choice but a must. The health of our planet is a collective responsibility, and table tennis will play its part.
“Sustainability is a subject I carry close to my heart and a priority of my tenure as ITTF President. Working towards a sustainable future was one of my manifesto’s pillars and joining the Sports for Climate Action Framework is our first important step.
“It is one thing to sign an agreement, but another is to deliver on it. I will set ambitious goals and objectives so that, by the end of my presidency, the ITTF will have become a key stakeholder, disseminating good practices and lessons learned, developing new tools, and collaborating with the rest of the global sports community.
“Sport in general, and table tennis in particular, has a duty to protect the environment and the resources it provides. Furthermore, we will raise awareness among our fans and the table tennis family to inspire them to increase their climate ambition in a united effort to limit global warming to below the two-degree scenario enshrined in the Paris Agreement.
“Sustainability is the only way forward. Together, we can win the race against climate change.”
Table tennis is determined to embrace sustainability principles fully and to further include sustainability in all its operations to be part of the solution to the most pressing challenges of our time.