The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) held its inaugural Climate Change and Sustainability Summit 13-14 July in Porto, Portugal. The event brought together approximately 50 international delegates comprising global racing leaders and sustainability experts.
The summit focused on sharing good practices, exchanging insights, and fostering collaboration aimed at advancing the climate change and sustainability agenda across horse racing and beyond. Henri Pouret, a Vice-Chairman of the IFHA, provided opening remarks for the two-day gathering.
"Today marks an important milestone, not only for the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, but for the sport of Thoroughbred racing as a whole," said Pouret. "This is the first time that the global racing community has come together in a dedicated forum to focus exclusively on climate change and sustainability. And that, in itself, tells a powerful story: that the challenges we face are real, they are urgent, and they demand collective action.
"Sustainability is not a one-off initiative or a single project but, rather, a long-term commitment that requires leadership, innovation, investment and, above all, collaboration. It will inevitably involve difficult decisions and trade-offs, but it will also unlock new opportunities for efficiency, resilience, and growth."
Following Pouret's opening remarks, a leadership panel explored the challenges and opportunities racing faces, including in relation to its social licence to operate, welfare expectations, and the power of stronger partnerships. Participants included Brant Dunshea, the Chief Executive Officer of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), who is also an Executive Council Member of the IFHA and Vice-Chair of the European & Mediterranean Horseracing Federation (EMHF); James Gomme, Senior Director, Education at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD); and Filippo Veglio, Chief of Social & Environmental Sustainability of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).
Four dedicated sessions then took place throughout the first day. The first session, titled Prevalence and Impact of Extreme Weather Events, provided an overview of climate change and extreme weather events on racing and other sports, as well as the responses to mitigate the impacts on the hosting of global sporting events, including the Olympics and Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) Equestrian events and racing operations. Speakers included Katie Carr, Head of Environmental Sustainability for the BHA, and James Mizzi, Veterinary
Officer, Veterinary Regulation, Welfare and Biosecurity Policy for The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC).
The second session, Horse Welfare and Sustainability, highlighted the importance of the management of land to support the raising of healthy foals and the practical solutions available to support stud farms to integrate environmental sustainability into their operations. Additionally, the session explored the impacts of climate change on the potential spread of infectious diseases into different regions and the need for research to support enhanced surveillance and the development of vaccines. The session also looked at the link between ground conditions and injury prevalence in horses, and how more severe climatic conditions will present increased challenges to prepare safe racing surfaces.
Speakers included Alan Creighton, Head of Environment & Nutrition at the Irish Equine Centre (IEC) and a member of the Farm Efficiency & Sustainability Committee of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association; Richard Newton, the Director of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance, Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, University of Cambridge; and Chris Riggs, Director, Equine Welfare Research Foundation and Chief Advisor, Mainland Veterinary Engagement, HKJC.
The Sustainable Sporting Venue: Energy, Land, Water and Biodiversity was the focus of the third session. It looked at major racing and sporting venues around the world, including Belmont Park and Ascot Racecourse, and how they have incorporated environmental sustainability initiatives within their infrastructure and operations. The session also highlighted the opportunity for racing to contribute to biological diversity within racecourse and other land holdings. Speakers included Will Aitkenhead, Head of Corporate & Industry Affairs for Ascot Racecourse; Russell Galt, Head of Science & Natural Capital at Nature Broking; Glen Kozak, Executive Vice President of Operations & Capital Projects for the New York Racing Association (NYRA); and Sarah Wynn, Managing Director for ADAS Climate Change and Sustainability.
The final session, Engaging Stakeholders, Fans and the Public in Racing's Sustainability Journey, examined the importance of communication and behavioural change. Key topics included communicating sustainability authentically amidst heightened societal expectations and the power of social media. Speakers included Jeanne Ng, Executive Manager, Club-wide Sustainability for the HKJC, and Victor Quinlan, Head of Capital Projects and Environmental Sustainability for Horse Racing Ireland (HRI).
The second day of the summit featured an Industry Collaboration Workshop, moderated by World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), which combined strategic simulation, facilitated discussion, and collaborative exercises designed to move participants from awareness toward shared understanding and practical action.
Closing remarks were then provided by Brant Dunshea, who also spoke during the opening leadership panel.
"The conversations over the past two days have shown that while racing jurisdictions face different environmental challenges, we share a common ambition: to safeguard the long-term future of our sport," said Dunshea. "None of us has all the answers, but every one of us has something to contribute. If every organisation leaves Porto committed to taking practical action and sharing what it learns with others, this Summit will have achieved something truly valuable.
"Climate change does not recognise borders, and neither should the solutions. By continuing to collaborate internationally, we can strengthen the resilience of racing worldwide and ensure our sport continues to thrive for generations to come. This Summit should not be remembered as the end of a conversation, but as the beginning of a lasting international collaboration."
For this event, the IFHA explored potential solutions to take responsibility for the estimated greenhouse gas emissions. Accordingly, the IFHA has retired 197 verified carbon credits (VCCs). Credits were sourced from Bonos X-Hazil Ruta Sian Ka'an - Mexican IFM project, which is an improved forest management-related carbon removal project registered under the Climate Action Reserve (CAR). VCCs represent the reduction, removal, or avoidance of one metric ton of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) emissions from the atmosphere.
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