Discover the only sport in the world that rewards competitors for sustainability
SailGP, in which 50-foot catamarans race at speeds of more than 60 mph in seas and bays around the world, is a grand prix sport comparable to Formula 1, but on the water. One big difference: It aims to make a positive impact on sustainability issues.
In addition to competing to be the fastest, teams also compete to have the biggest impact on the league and host cities. A completely different leaderboard, called the Impact League, measures teams’ impact on things like sustainability, engagement and strategy; their use of new technologies and innovation; their promotion of clean energy; and their ability to avoid waste and single-use plastic.
This season’s champion in positive impact is Emirates Great Britain, the league shared first place with NBC News.
The team has partnered with a bespoke renewable energy provider to incorporate solar panels into their team base, which not only power their base but also several other team bases around the country.
“I would be lying if I said it doesn’t get as competitive as it is on the water,” said Ben Ainslie, CEO of the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team. “But at the same time, we also get points for collaboration. And of course, that’s the right thing to do when you’re thinking about tackling issues related to climate change. … Collaboration is key.”
Fossil-fuel-burning Grand Prix racing is currently struggling to figure out how to reduce its carbon emissions. According to Formula 1, with 10 teams, 20 cars and 23 races in different countries, F1 emits approximately 256,000 tons of carbon dioxide each season, the same amount as a small nation. Meanwhile, travel by players and fans, as well as stadium energy use, contribute to high emissions from the NFL, MLS, NBA, NHL and MLB.
That’s why SailGP, a wind-powered sport, tries to go one step further. At each race around the world, teams undertake an impactful project to leave the environment in the area better than they found it. These projects range from engaging young people in climate education and literacy to beach and ocean cleanups.
These events bring together leaders, sustainability champions, partners, industry leaders and athletes to promote and educate on climate action and inclusion through sailing. Since its initial launch in 2021, the impact league has hosted 14 events across 11 cities, nine countries and four continents.
“It’s something we’ve found to be really inspiring, both for the teams and the fans,” Ainslie said.
Fiona Morgan, the league’s Chief Purpose and Impact Officer, joined in 2020 to lead SailGP’s sustainability and impact agenda, both within the league and through external partnerships. The goal is to transition the league to net-zero carbon emissions and use the sport to inspire global change.
“Sport has this power to speak to fans like no one else. And if we can educate them to be imperfect climate activists, or even understand their carbon footprint, or even do one thing differently, we will help change the world,” she said. “Sometimes people look at sport (and) criticize where you race or who you sponsor. It’s like our superpower is engaging our consumers, and we have billions of them globally. So that’s what I think I really want sport to lean into, to speak to its fans.”
While catamarans are powered by nature, the league still relies on dozens of fossil-fuel-burning chase boats. Morgan said the overall lag in decarbonization solutions within the maritime industry leaves the league with no other options.
“I think what’s really cool about our sport is that our playing field is the ocean,” said Mike Buckley, CEO and team member of the United States SailGP team. “No other sports property in the world can say that.”
Ainslie encouraged other sports with large fan bases to start making more of an impact on the industry.
“Some of the more established sports, imagine the number of people they could reach,” he said. “One really great thing about sport is that it’s very inspirational, particularly for the younger generations. So I think it’s up to all of us as sportspeople to be good role models and set the example, and that’s where Impact League really comes into its own.”
SailGP’s push comes as much of the U.S. has already dealt with extreme weather fueled by human-caused climate change this summer. Due to high ocean water temperatures, the tropics saw their first major hurricane in Beryl, and according to Climate Central, the recent heat wave in the West was five times more likely due to climate change, with the city of Las Vegas currently in its seventh day of temperatures above 115 F.
