From alpinism to activism: outdoor athletes’ perspectives on ecological and climate learning through their sport
Abstract
While climate change education has been studied extensively, the process of
environmental and climate learning outside of a structured educational context has seen
little study. Previous research has shown the efficacy of outdoor, experiential, and
place-based education in facilitating ecological literacy, ecological consciousness,
sustainable behaviours, and climate change awareness in school-based and public
education; however, little research has been conducted to understand the development
of this process outside of an educational context, nor in high-level outdoor athletes
whose hobbies and/or careers often demand that they spend considerable time in
nature. This exploratory qualitative study uses semi-structured interviews in a limited
athlete sample (n=7) to explore the perspectives of high-level outdoor athletes on the
influence of their involvement in outdoor sport on the development of their ecological
consciousness, ecological literacy, sustainable or responsible behaviours, and climate
activism. Findings suggest that connection to nature through sport may have a profound
influence, impacting how these athletes conceptualize the environment, climate change,
and their place in human-ecological systems, guiding their learning and actions. This
aligns with goals of environmental and sustainability education, climate change
education, and place-based education by providing insight into ways that outdoor sport
may provide opportunities to engage with nature in a meaningful, authentic, and
environmentally sustainable way while also enabling a deeper understanding of the
potential of outdoor sport to motivate individuals to climate action.