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.