The placement of the logo is good. There, along the collar of world champion Johannes Thingnes Bø’s bubble jacket, a melting snow crystal can be seen. It should symbolize that something is seriously wrong, writes the Norwegian Biathlon Union (NSSF) about its climate campaign. But what emissions is the association itself responsible for? Three years ago, news was sent a list from NSSF of the national team’s travel activities. The aim was to take a closer look at the climate footprint of sports that depend on snow. Then came the pandemic. Now, three years and a fresh climate campaign later, news has asked the association again. They explain that they are in the process of taking a closer look at four major emission sources: food, equipment, transport and snow production. In December, the Norwegian Biathlon Union transported more than 50 loads of artificial snow to a snow-free Lake Sjusjøen to start the season. Photo: EVEN BJØRINGSØY JOHNSEN / EVEN BJØRINGSØY JOHNSEN / news For transport, the association refers to an old overview, made “some time ago”. It is identical to the one news received in 2020. National biathlon team’s travels This is the overview the Norwegian Biathlon Union has sent of the national team’s travels: World Cup weekend 1-3 25 flights t/r Oslo-Europe (Munich-Salzburg-Geneva) 3×9 seater rental car driving between 3 destinations 1 equipment van Oslo-Europe and between destinations 1 lubrication trailer Oslo-Europe and between destinations World Cup weekend 4-6 25 flights t/r Oslo-Europe (Munich-Salzburg-Geneva) 3×9 seat rental car driving between 3 destinations 1 equipment van between destinations 1 lubrication trailer between destinations munich-oberhof-ruhpolding World Cup weekend 7-8 25 flights t/r Oslo-Europe (Munich-Salzburg-Geneva) 3×9 seats rental car driving between 3 destinations 1 equipment vehicle between destinations and return Europe-Oslo 1 lubrication trailer between destinations and return Europe- oslo Collection 1, Europe 20 flights t/r Oslo-Europe (Munich-Salzburg-Geneva-Milan) 2×9 seats rental car driving, average 50 miles per car 1 equipment car t/r oslo Europe Collection 2, Europe 20 flights t/r Oslo-Europe (Munich-Salzburg-Geneva-Milan) 2×9 seater rental car driving, average 50 miles per car 1 equipment car t/r Oslo Europe The Norwegian Biathlon Union does not yet have an overview of its own climate emissions. Nevertheless, the NSSF has launched its own climate campaign to highlight that they are “impatient for climate measures” and to urge the politicians to “hurry up”. Need to measure, but looking for the right tool With the Snøkrystall project, NSSF wants to “speed up the debate” because they “want climate measures that work” – all with help from the climate agency Footprint. Logo for project Snøkrystal. – The power the biathletes have in this case goes far beyond the emissions they themselves represent, says Johanna Victoria Barcia, senior adviser at the climate agency. She says that they are well underway with mapping emissions and looking at measures such as adapting the term calendar, reducing equipment use and transport. – Not only in the elite, but also in general sports, says Barcia. Snow and climate change are a so-called marker issue for the association. – Norwegian biathlon cannot change the world alone, but we think it is important that we have a voice in this, says Morten Djupvik, secretary general of the Norwegian Biathlon Union. – Are you actually making climate cuts today or is this a planned measure? – The vast majority here are planned measures, says Djupvik. Morten Djupvik, general secretary of the Norwegian Biathlon Union. Photo: Berit Roald / NTB – We are very much aware that we do not have enough measures, and perhaps the measures we have today are not good enough either, but we think that it should not be an obstacle to raise your voice and have the snow crystal campaign ongoing, says the general secretary. – Why launch a campaign before the measures are in place? – The alternative is to just sit and wait, not do anything, says Djupvik. Fears greenwashing That excuse is not good enough, believes Gina Gylver, head of Nature and Youth. – Basically, it is very good that winter sports are raising their voice in the climate debate, and can help create the crisis understanding we need, she says. – The problem is when it is not followed up with concrete measures and cuts. Then it will be more like greenwashing than real measures. It’s a shame, says Gylver. Gina Gylver, head of Nature and Youth. Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB – The association says that the measures will come soon? – That’s what everyone has been saying in climate policy since the 90s. The union should be clearer, ask for political measures and ask for bigger cuts. We need them to fill their strategies with content, says Gylver. The Norwegian Biathlon Union believes that the campaign is precisely an attempt at what Gylver is asking for. – I think we made that clear when we launched the project, says general secretary Morten Djupvik. – We completely agree that strategies must be filled with content. Precisely for this reason, we are also concerned with ensuring that the content and the specific measures we implement are well established when we put them into practice, says Djupvik. The head of Nature and Youth also criticized the association before Christmas. Then the snow was missing for the start of the season at Sjusjøen. The union’s solution? Transport a dozen loads of artificial snow up the mountain by truck. Photo: Even Bjøringsøy Johnsen / news Natur og Ungdom thought they should use the opportunity to ring the alarm bells. The association took self-criticism. Then the Snøkrystall project was launched in January. – The event at Sjusjøen showed us how important this is. Here we have to take action, here we have to stand together and really roll up our sleeves, says Djupvik. – Is this greenwashing? – If it is not filled with concrete measures, that is obvious. There is progress from where they were a few months ago, but they must be careful that it is not just for decoration, as it is counterproductive, says Gylver. Wasn’t mentioned during the WC When the campaign was launched in January, the national team had the logo of the melting snow crystal pasted on the jacket. The association received praise from Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre for focusing on an important issue, and everyone could put the snow crystal on their own profile picture if they wanted to support the campaign. Then there was silence. During the WC in Oberhof, the climate campaign was not mentioned with a single word, despite the fact that the eyes of the world were on the Norwegian athletes who brought home a total of 13 medals. Photo: Javad Parsa / NTB – It’s probably about the fact that in a WC you are very concerned with exactly what you are doing, says general secretary Morten Djupvik. news has checked the digital channels of the association’s main sponsors. None of them have shared the snow crystal or information about the project. The association and one elite athlete have put the logo on their profile picture on Instagram, otherwise no one else has publicly fronted the campaign. – Our intention with the campaign is not primarily to get as many likes as possible among our athletes. I believe with all my heart that biathlon as an organization really takes this seriously, and wants to do what we can to preserve winter, says Djupvik. This week they invite you to a conference in Holmenkollen to talk about climate and the environment together with the Ski Association and several other players. They are also in the process of mapping the emissions from the event. If you think the melting logo looks familiar, it might not be so strange. The Norwegian Biathlon Union has been involved in a similar campaign in the past. Asked for climate action more than 10 years ago In 2007, the White Winter campaign was launched, started by Vegard Ulvang and Gudmund Skjeldal. Climate grants and environmental certification were announced for clubs that wanted to become greener. Jens Stoltenberg was to join the ski trip to talk about how Norway should take care of the winter. The two logos are strikingly similar: The project received NOK 3.4 million in support over a period of four years, including from the Ministry of Climate and the Environment. The Norwegian Biathlon Union was among the confederations that supported the project with money. Then, four years later, the project was handed over to the Sports Confederation, the Ski Association, the Ski Association and the Norwegian Biathlon Union. What happened? – I remember the campaign very well, which was a very good initiative, says Djupvik. – The challenges are exactly the same now, so to the extent that we can build on the work Hvit vinter did then, we are very happy about it, he says. – Why wasn’t Hvit winter continued at the time, instead of launching something new now, which is similar in many ways? – I actually don’t know, I wasn’t involved.
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The Norwegian Biathlon Union launched a climate campaign – does not know its own emissions – news – Climate
