“How can we maintain the recreational joy of sports while encouraging spectators, fans, and athletes to consider reducing their own environmental footprint?”
This provocative question, posed by Shaun Hoyte, director of the Sustainability, Energy, and Entertainment Network (SEEN) at Columbia Climate School, helped kick off the “Climate Action Is a Team Sport: Winning with Sustainability” panel discussion on September 23, setting the stage for a productive dialogue on integrating sustainable practices within the sports industry.
Presented at Columbia’s Italian Academy, the event was co-hosted by the M.S. in Sustainability Management, M.S. in Sustainability Science, and M.S. in Sports Management programs. It brought together a diverse collection of leaders in their respective fields—from sports industry executives and athletes to experts in climate sustainability—to discuss the critical role of sports in driving environmental change.
The evening featured a fireside chat with Dr. Steven Cohen and Scott Rosner, who explored leadership principles and the vital role of higher education in fostering sustainable innovation in sports, and emphasized the unique influence sports have in shaping public attitudes toward sustainability. Their conversation highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts and the potential for sports organizations to lead by example.
Dr. Cohen, professor at Columbia University’s SIPA, senior vice dean at the School of Professional Studies (SPS), and program director for the M.S. in Sustainability Management and MPA in Environmental Science and Policy, also directs the Earth Institute’s Research Program on Sustainability Policy and Management.
“We’re in the process of building a new energy system in the United States that will be more efficient, less polluted, and more reliable with fewer blackouts,” said Cohen. “The sports industry will be like all industries, taking advantage of those changes in the infrastructure.”
Scott Rosner, a professor of professional practice and the director of the M.S. in Sports Management program at SPS, shared how impactful the ever-expanding course options in the program are: “We offer three dozen–plus courses in our program in things that you wouldn’t even know existed 10, 15 years ago.”
Following this, a dynamic panel discussion moderated by Chandler Precht, lecturer in professional studies and director of external affairs and communications for the M.S. in Sustainability Management and M.S. in Sustainability Science programs, brought together sports and sustainability experts including Dr. Elizabeth A. Burakowski, Amie Engerbretson, Omar Mitchell, Riley Nelson, and Mike Richter. They shared insights on the latest sustainability initiatives in their respective fields, addressing how the sports community can contribute to significant climate action.
Panelists shared similar personal experiences at the intersection of climate change and sports. In reference to her work on oceanography, Dr. Burakowski noted that “there was this connection between the sport that I loved and grew up with and the science I was doing.”
Burakowski and Engerbretson both discussed their membership in an organization called Protect Our Winters and how they feel more empowered to call themselves climate activists through the work of the group. Engerbretson recalled: “I really kind of felt like as a skier, what was I going to do about climate change? I should just stay in my lane. But I had a bit of an aha moment. I just needed to be okay being uncomfortable doing hard things.”
Other panelists echoed a similar passion for the field. Mitchell, vice president of Sustainable Infrastructure & Growth Initiatives at the NHL, shared how “doing social good, social purpose, moving companies to do both shareholder and stakeholder engagement” allowed him to pursue his environmental passion. Nelson, head of Sustainability at NASCAR, “realized [she] kept gravitating toward sustainability work, and it wasn’t part of [her] job description.”
And Richter, president of Brightcore Energy and former New York Rangers hockey Hall of Famer, returned to the importance of awareness and education.
“The first thing we have to do is educate as much as possible,” Richter said. “We all have a footprint, and this is not about being superior or anything else. But let’s not put our heads in the sand.”
“Climate change doesn’t care what sport you play, where you live, or who you are, and some communities and sports are feeling the heat,” Precht noted. “As somebody who grew up in South Florida playing soccer, I saw those impacts firsthand.”
The event illustrated the collective responsibility and potential of the sports industry to make a positive environmental impact, encouraging participants to take actionable steps toward sustainability.
About the Programs
The Columbia University M.S. in Sustainability Management program, offered by the School of Professional Studies in partnership with the Climate School, provides students cutting-edge policy and management tools they can use to help public and private organizations and governments address environmental impacts and risks, pollution control, and remediation to achieve sustainability.
The Columbia University M.S. in Sustainability Science program, offered by the School of Professional Studies in partnership with the Climate School, prepares students for management and leadership positions in which they help organizations address environmental impacts. Students learn strategies to respond to the ever-changing environment and predict future environmental changes—and the impact on the public.
The Columbia University M.S. in Sports Management program provides students with a comprehensive curriculum and access to sports industry practitioners and influencers. Students acquire skills in areas such as entrepreneurship and innovation, global sports management, facility and event management, and sports law and ethics.
