Sport4Land

The sporting community faces a serious challenge: the rise of desertification and land degradation worldwide. As droughts intensify and extreme temperatures rise, sport pitches are becoming harder and more brittle, increasing the risk of injury for athletes. Frequent heatwaves also lead to event rescheduling, disrupting athletes' preparation and impacting their performance. 

But the negative impact goes far beyond sports. Healthy land provides nearly 95 per cent of the food we eat. It gives us shelter , provides livelihoods and protects us from escalating droughts, floods and forest fires. Restoring our land is about more than improving the environment; it’s about creating better quality of life, ensuring food security, and driving sustainable growth. 

That’s why the UNCCD has launched Sport4Land, a global campaign to rally the sports community in the fight for our planet. Kicking off at the Paris Olympics 2024, #United4Land aims to engage athletes from around the world to score a goal for land restoration.  

The campaign will engage high-profile athletes and para-athletes mobilizing around a shared goal: protecting the land that sustains us all.  

Join us in the movement and be part of these exciting events: 

• Launch event at the Paris Olympics 2024 with olympic athletes Asma Niang and Naomi Akakpo and paralympic athlete Vladyslava Kravchenko
• “Sport4land” space and programme at UNCCD COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, December 2024 with different world leading athletes

Stay tuned and get involved! A healthy playground starts with a healthy planet — let’s be as passionate about preserving our land as we are passionate about our favorite sport. Whether you're an athlete, coach, fan or part of the spors industry, you can make a difference. 

Help us spread the word and become a part of Sport4Land:

• For more information, download our factsheet
• Access our campaign materials and use the hashtag #United4Land
• Submit your ideas on how to engage sports fans for land using this form

The game is on for a resilient future — together, let's score a big win for land, for sports and for the planet!