Pro Climbers Urge IFSC and the Climbing Community to Swear Off Fossil Fuel Ties
As competitive climbers converge in Seoul for the IFSC World Championships this weekend, several pro climbers and organizations have signed an open letter written by Cool Down, also known as the Sport for Climate Action Network. The letter, “Climbers for a Fossil Free Declaration,” calls upon the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC), national climbing federations, and the wider community to reject all sponsorships from fossil fuel companies.
By signing the letter, climbers promise to reject support from fossil fuel companies, as well as carbon-intensive industries, including aviation and conventional automakers. Signees also pledge to use their platform to advocate for positive climate action.
This initiative follows the IFSC’s controversial partnership last year with Saudi Arabia for the NEOM Masters. Critics swiftly condemned the deal as a concerning example of “sportswashing” by a petrostate known for obstructing climate action, according to the independent scientific Climate Action Tracker. The open letter says the event represents the “wrong direction” for the sport’s sponsorship landscape.
“We urge the climbing community, event organizers, and national and international federations to take a stand by declaring a ban on high-carbon advertising,” the letter states. “As climbing grows, we must ensure our sponsors align with our values—protecting the future of the planet over profit.”
Climbers aren’t the only ones rallying their sport to do better. In early August, Cool Down announced a similar letter directed toward athletes and organizations in all sports. This cross-sport declaration makes the same demands as the open letter climbers have written: accept no fossil fuel-based sponsorships and use your platform for climate advocacy.
While climbers can also sign the Fossil Free Declaration, the climbing-specific open letter is a way to raise the profile of this initiative within the climbing community. So far, the letter has garnered 28 signatures, including Sébastien Berthe, Kilian Jornet Burgada, Lattice Training, Ecopoint Climbing, Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll, and Katherine Choong.
“I signed the declaration because as athletes, we have a responsibility to push for a future where sport is not tied to industries fueling the climate crisis,” Choong shared with Climbing. “Climbing teaches respect for the natural world, and I believe our sport should reflect that by ending partnerships with high-carbon sponsors.”
The letter makes it clear that this isn’t just about doing the right thing—climate change also critically imperils the sport with increased hazards. It states: “As glaciers retreat, rockfalls become more frequent, and mountain environments grow more dangerous, climbing faces an existential threat from the very forces that seek to profit from its destruction.”
Liam Killeen, a climber and campaigner with the Cool Down Network and Badvertising, helped write and circulate the climbing-specific open letter. He told Climbing that the strong environmental advocacy among many professional climbers sparked this initiative. The NEOM Games, flagged by climbers James Pearson and Caro Ciavaldini (pictured climbing an E8/5.13b route in this article’s lead image) as a concerning case of “sportswashing,” served as the specific catalyst.
“As lovers of the mountains and nature, it’s obvious why we would want to sign the open letter,” Pearson and Ciavaldini shared. “While it’s tempting to chase after the financial support these sorts of new, big budget partnerships might bring, it’s important to stay in touch with your base values, and think about what impact short-term gains like these may have on future generations.”
Rather than setting a specific goal for the number of signees, Killeen explained that he hopes the open letter will strengthen Cool Down’s position in conversations with key stakeholders such as the IFSC, the British Mountaineering Council, and more organizations. More broadly, Killeen said he hopes that the letter “raises awareness in the climbing community about the risk of harmful sponsors moving into the space as the sport continues to grow.”
While climbing has remained relatively insulated from fossil fuel sponsorship compared to sports like football or cycling, its rapid ascent as an Olympic sport in 2020 makes it an increasingly attractive potential investment for polluting companies. The declaration positions climbing to set a powerful example, demonstrating that sport can grow and thrive without the backing of companies that actively exacerbate the climate crisis. The message is clear: The future of climbing—and the planet—depends on a commitment to a fossil-free future.
The “Climbers for a Fossil Free Declaration” open letter is not only an initiative for pro climbers and organizations. Any interested climber can sign here.
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