The British Association for Sustainable Sport is the sustainability hub for the UK sports industry with a fierce belief in sustainable sport. We caught up with the Chair of the BASIS Management Board and founding member, Chris Whitaker, to hear more about how the sports industry can become more sustainable and why they joined the Alliance.

Why did you join the Rapid Transition Alliance?

I saw that the Alliance was advocating change at a much quicker pace than is currently being discussed, which I support. The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty is a progressive and eye-catching initiative which captures the zeitgeist  for ridding the planet of such an entrenched commodity.

What for you is the biggest challenge of rapid transition?

Behaviour change and complete acceptance by all sections of society that the looming threat to the planet and human life is happening now.

What is your organisation doing to encourage rapid transition?

BASIS acts as a network to inform and share best practice in Sport. We are campaigning for a change of thinking through connecting as many areas of sport (and sports) together. Sport both affects and is affected by climate change, it needs to increase the pace of change within the sector.

What is your favourite example of rapid transition?

The sharp reduction in emissions worldwide during lock down. Although it was never going to be permanent, it gave society an insight into what the world could be like and bench-marked where we need to be and how we can get there.

What one thing would best help the task of rapid transition?

The political will to make this a non-partisan issue with an agenda to speed up the legislation for change.