Prince Albert II presented the 2025 Climate Action Awards during the 145th International Olympic Committee Session in Milan this week, honouring athletes and sporting organisations leading the fight against climate change.
The ceremony, held ahead of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, saw the Prince congratulate the winner’s commitment and highlight the sport’s vital role in driving sustainable development.
New Zealand hockey player Hugo Inglis and Kenyan rugby sevens player Kevin Wekesa claimed the athlete honours. Inglis co-founded High Impact Athletes, a global movement uniting more than 240 athletes from 50 disciplines across 35 countries that has transferred over $2 million towards evidence-based climate solutions tackling aviation, energy and infrastructure emissions.
Meanwhile, Wekesa’s Play Green initiative has eliminated nearly 1,000 plastic bottles weekly from Kenya’s national rugby teams, planted 2,300 trees through partnerships with 40 schools, and introduced match-day recycling programmes.
The Netherland’s National Olympic Committee won recognition for a comprehensive mobility strategy that has slashed emissions by 40 per cent and electrified 65 per cent of Team NL’s vehicle fleet, with full electrification planned for 2027. The Dutch NOC also cut clothing related emissions by more than 70 per cent between the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics.
The International Biathlon Union secured the federation category award after achieving a six per cent emissions reduction and becoming the first winter federation to formally measure and reduce emissions from its major competitions, including World Cups and Championships. The IBU’s Biathlon Climate Change Challenge has also mobilised 12,000 fans to plant 150,000 trees in Sub-Saharan Africa, while its 26 athlete ambassadors from 17 countries champion climate action at events and conferences.
Lastly, Spain’s Olympic Committee and World Sailing received ‘Highly Commended’ recognition. The Spanish NOC has reduced emissions by nearly 28 per cent since 2018 and created the Sustainable Sports Seal certification system, while World Sailing’s data driven approach has identified ways to cut support vessel emissions by more than 20 per cent.
IOC President Kirsty Coventry said the winners demonstrated that “protecting our planet and pursuing excellence can go hand in hand.”
Now in their third edition since launching in November 2022, the awards provide tailored support including innovation labs for organisations and six-month sustainability mentoring programmes for athletes.
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Main photo credit: IOC