Japan Rugby Football Union Signs Sports for Climate Action Framework

The Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU) announced in October 2024 that it has signed the United Nations ‘Sports for Climate Action Framework’ in a bid to reinforce its ambition to help address climate change.

The JRFU aims to reduce its environmental impact both domestically and on the world stage and is the first Japanese sporting body, and the first national rugby union in the world to sign the Framework. Since 2018, over 200 global sports organisations, including FIFA, FIBA, and World Rugby, have signed the Framework.

In an online statement, the JRFU said it is looking to “take a leading role in promoting environmental responsibility in sport” and acknowledge that climate change, such as extreme heat and excessive rainfall poses a significant and growing risk to players, spectators, and the overall sustainability of rugby.”

What Is The JRFU Committing To – Japan Rugby Football Union Sports for Climate Action Framework

The JRFU believes that promoting environmental sustainability is essential to creating a more accessible and inclusive future for rugby. The JRFU will minimise its environmental impact across all of its operations, from the day-to-day management of the game to organising and hosting rugby matches and from the grassroots level to international test matches.

They have said that they will take the following actions:

1. Signed the Sports for Climate Action Framework on 9 October 2024, pledging to take meaningful action on climate change.
2. Formulate an Environmental Sustainability Action Policy – By March 2025, the JRFU will develop and publish this and outline concrete targets and plans for promoting sustainability across Japanese rugby.

The JRFU added that it is “committed to making Japan a global leader in rugby, through its ambitious vision outlined in its ‘Japan Rugby 2050’ strategy. This includes the potential re-bidding to host the Rugby World Cup Japan and using rugby as a driver for positive social change beyond sport.”

The Japan Rugby Medium-term Strategic Plan (2021-2024) sets out key areas of focus, including sustainability.

JRFU will also work closely with World Rugby and it’s ‘Environmental Sustainability 2030’ strategy, focusing on three priority themes:

1. Climate action
2. Circular economy
3. Protecting the natural environment. This will be supported by specific initiatives, such as incorporating sustainability into governance, reducing the impact of rugby-related activities, and managing events with sustainability in mind.

The JRFU added that it will establish its own quantitative targets.

There were some excellent discussions held at Hong Kong Sport & Sustainability Summit 2024 earlier this year. It is also worth following Jaime Mckeown (World Rugby), Jamie Farndale (former GB 7s player), as well as USA 7s player Alena Olsen who all are champions of change in this field.

What is The Sports for Climate Action Framework

Launched at COP24 in December 2018, the Framework “encourages sports organisations to lead by example in addressing climate change” and focuses on two key objectives- 1) making sports operations more sustainable and 2) using the platform of sport to raise awareness among fans and the public.

The framework is built on five guiding principles:

1. Undertake systematic efforts to promote greater environmental
   responsibility
2. Reduce overall climate impact
3. Educate for climate action
4. Promote sustainable and responsible consumption
5. Advocate for climate action through communication

Rugby Development News

• Gallagher High Performance Academy 2024 Female Coaches Announced.
• World Rugby Launches Impact Beyond 2025 Global Impact Programme.
• Asia Rugby Athletes Committee Commits to Sustainability Goals