The participants represented a wide range of ISSF committees and leadership roles, underlining the federation’s cross-functional commitment to sustainability:
- Andreas Friedrich – Sustainability Committee
- Sandra Honour – Sustainability Committee
- Amar Jang Singh – Shotgun Committee
- Jack Burch – Shotgun Committee
- David Goodfellow – Rifle Committee
- Susana Campos – Technical Committee
- Dr. James Lally – Medical Committee
- Elena Allen – Executive Committee
- Peter Underhill – ISSF Sport Director
The Carbon Literacy Training is an internationally recognised eight-hour certification programme that has already been completed by more than 130,000 people worldwide. Delivered over two four-hour sessions, the course provided a shared understanding of sport’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and explored how sport can positively impact the climate while also improving participant health, financial outcomes, fan engagement, competition conditions, and sponsorship opportunities.
Key topics included the scientific evidence behind climate change, its global and social impacts, climate inequality, policy implications, disinformation and greenwashing, and the influence of personal and organisational choices. The programme concluded with collaborative brainstorming and action planning, with each participant committing to a personal action plan to reduce their carbon footprint both individually and within their sphere of influence.
credit by: Sporting GiantsParticipants highlighted the value of recognising that many sustainability measures are already being considered or implemented by ISSF leaders, event organisers, and member federations. While sustainability can feel like an overwhelming challenge, the course reinforced the importance of taking achievable, incremental steps. The environmental impact of travel emerged as a key priority area for identifying efficiencies within the shooting sport calendar.
A particularly valuable element of the training was the interactive discussion among participants, which focused on identifying actions that are realistic and appropriate for shooting sport. The diversity of perspectives led to strong engagement and practical ideas grounded in the realities of the sport.
The course was led by Joanna Redding from Sporting Giants, who provided clear scientific data alongside concrete examples of sustainability initiatives already adopted by other sports. This combination of evidence and practical case studies encouraged participants to critically assess how similar actions could be adapted within the ISSF context.
As the IOC-recognised International Federation for shooting sport, ISSF acknowledges its responsibility to support and advance the UN and IOC Sustainable Development Goals. The knowledge gained through this training will contribute to raising awareness across the sport and to the development of practical measures that athletes, organisers, and stakeholders can adopt to reduce environmental impact.
Many of the ideas and actions discussed during the course are expected to feed into the ISSF Sustainability Strategy, which the ISSF Sustainability Committee aims to present to the ISSF Executive Committee in late 2026. The ISSF also hopes to further engage its membership through future education initiatives, such as sustainability-focused webinars or town hall discussions.