As the Basketball Africa League (BAL) concluded its exhilarating 2025 Nile Conference in Rwanda last week and with the playoffs looming in Pretoria in slightly under a fortnight; it illuminated a powerful nexus between sports, climate resilience and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
I got mulling over the range of opportunities that the sporting world avails especially to Africa's youth with a bias for a sport that I used to love playing (still do) and a team that I used to play for making it to such a lofty stage. The word that came to mind was ambition, the sheer audacity to dream of making it on that big continental stage with the giants of the region in basketball. As a climate and sustainability expert, I see the BAL as an ambitious transformative platform to align the next generation of Africa’s ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0) and National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) with the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework.
Africa contributes only 2-3% of global emissions but is the most vulnerable continent to climate impacts, with nine of the ten most vulnerable countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The BAL, now in its fifth season is the highest platform showcasing the incredible talent of Africa's brightest young basketball talents. Under the framework, reducing environmental impact of sports facilities is embodied by the ambitious target of reducing emissions by 50% by 2030 set by signatories like the NBA underscoring the commitment to sustainability as highlighted under the Paris Agreement.
The Paris Agreement (2015) mandates countries to develop Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance climate resilience. Article 7 emphasizes adaptation, requiring infrastructure, including sports facilities, to withstand climate impacts like extreme weather. Article 9 calls for financial support for adaptation and mitigation, critical for climate-resilient sports infrastructure. The time sounds about right to reimagine the state of play of sports infrastructure in Africa in promoting sustainable consumption and fostering advocacy and education which can catalyze and accelerate initiatives to protect nature, our planet and enhance the livelihoods of our most precious resource on the continent- Africa's youth.
The BAL’s Rwanda leg, hosted in Kigali’s BK Arena, exemplifies climate-smart infrastructure aligned with the UN framework’s goal of reducing environmental impact. Launched by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and UNFCCC, it commits sports organizations to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2040. It encourages climate-resilient sports facilities through sustainable design, renewable energy and adaptation measures like rainwater harvesting. Powered by renewable energy and designed for sustainability, the arena reflects Rwanda’s NDC commitment to a 38% emissions reduction by 2030 and its NBSAP's focus on ecosystem-based adaptation.
The UNEP estimates adaptation costs in Africa could reach $50 billion annually by 2050 to keep warming below 2°C. Total climate finance needs for NDCs are estimated at $2.8 trillion by 2030, with a current gap of $60 billion annually for African Development Fund countries. Kenya’s mitigation efforts focus on energy sector reforms, with a goal of reaching 100% renewable electricity in the national grid by 2035. These reforms will also drive the electrification of transport, green manufacturing and sustainable waste management. Adaptation priorities include climate-resilient agriculture, water access, disaster preparedness, health systems and infrastructure with gender equality and youth inclusion integrated across sectors.
Promoting sustainable consumption, another UN framework pillar, is critical for green sports events. Nairobi City Thunder (NCT), representing Kenya in the BAL for the first time ever for a Kenyan basketball club, offers a prime opportunity to implement initiatives at city level to grow the game such as advocating for playing spaces and play grounds for children in our neighbourhoods.
Many neighbourhoods will benefit from having basketball courts similar to the amazing work that Jonathan Jackson Foundation, KFC, NBA Africa, Jnr NBA in partnership with the Kenya Basketball Federation and related supportive Line Ministries are doing in underserved communities in Dagoretti, Kiambu, Umoja and Kayole. These initiatives are serving to tackle informality and engage the urban youth to desist from crime with initiatives like Komb green which are re-shaping advocacy for green spaces and shaping the next generation of inspirational leaders. Nairobi’s long term Climate Action Plan under sub action 15.3. aims to “Develop and enforce standards for building infrastructure in anticipation of climate change impacts” which also complements Kenya’s National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) 2023-2027 focusing on waste management and sustainable transport which can reduce emissions from sporting events while diverting waste from the landfills and encouraging consumer awareness and education through signages, posters, communicating in local languages (sheng), art, music, and dance and can support public participation exercises while still enhancing fan experiences.
Strategic partnerships with tech innovators, research and academia institutions like the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), African Centre for Climate Research and Innovations, University of Nairobi, Non State Partners like World Resources Institute, C40 Cities, GIZ, FES together with local assemblies can support in building evidence based approaches in decision making to make our sports facilities safer driving policy and regulations nationally and at the grassroots such as the Nairobi Air Quality Bill and Action Plan.
Additionally, partnerships with organizations like UN Habitat on sustainable designs, UNDP on climate innovations, UNEP, the Nairobi Climate Network can scale these efforts, creating models for green arenas that divert waste and embrace renewables, setting a global standard but more importantly curating platforms for conversations around transforming and re-imagining our sports facilities. These models are prime grounds for private sector investments with franchising options that introduces new fans from new markets matching products across a very rich tech enabled ecosystem that the Kenyan and African market provides. The UN framework’s advocacy and education goal finds a powerful ally in Africa’s youth, who comprise over 60% of the continent’s population. Kenya’s youth population, estimated at about 22 million in 2025, is a key driver of the sports market, which is projected to grow steadily. The sports market is expected to reach US$36.67 million by 2029, with the e-commerce sports and outdoor segment reaching US$79.06 million by 2027 and e-sports at US$9.9 million by 2029. While sports’ direct GDP contribution is modest, its role in youth engagement, job creation, and tourism supports broader economic benefits. Continued investment in infrastructure and policies could enhance its impact and looking at the BAL’s engagement with young fans and athletes in Rwanda and Kenya demonstrates their potential to drive climate finance through sports, culture and the arts.
In Kenya, the rise of basketball, bolstered by NBA Africa’s Nairobi office, Junior NBA programs and the emergence of the Street Basketball Leagues creates green job opportunities for players, coaching, event management, sports management, digital marketing, broadcasting, media, entertainment and entrepreneurship. It also stands as a grand opportunity in supporting the delivery of the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) which integrates sports as a critical pathway for identifying and nurturing talents from an early age, particularly at the primary and junior secondary levels. CBC emphasizes practical, learner-centered activities to develop skills like teamwork, discipline, and resilience. Starting in 2026, national schools will offer three CBC career pathways namely; Social Sciences, Arts and Sports and STEM which in this strand would ensure sports is a formal academic and professional track. This requires schools to have adequate infrastructure to support specialized sports training.
Green arenas can contribute to urban resilience and advancing technology in Artificial Intelligence by integrating sustainable features like solar energy, rainwater harvesting and eco-friendly materials, reducing emissions by up to 20-30% compared to traditional venues. In African cities, green arenas could account for 5-10% of urban climate resilience efforts by serving as multi-purpose hubs for sports, community events, and emergency shelters, enhancing social cohesion and community health. Agenda 2063, the AU’s blueprint for sustainable development emphasizes ecosystem-based adaptation and resilient infrastructure. It promotes integrating climate action into development plans, including sports infrastructure, to achieve socioeconomic goals like job creation and food security. The African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) supports climate-resilient infrastructure by advocating for increased climate finance and aligning NDCs with SDGs. It encourages sports facilities to adopt sustainable practices to meet climate goals. The East African Community (EAC) Climate Change Policy (2011) aims to strengthen regional resilience through adaptation and mitigation, targeting biodiversity, water, and infrastructure. It supports climate-smart agriculture and renewable energy, which can be integrated into sports facilities. These align with Kenya’s NCCAP’s focus on job creation and further calls for Africa's NDCs to consider mega sports infrastructure as opportunities to adapt, mitigate and create activate value chains for youth.
With funding partners like the AfDB, AU, UNECA, in accelerating ACE and enhancing advocacy, sports remains a powerful tool to protect nature, advocate for sustainable use of resources like water harvesting and supportive community structures as life changing agents. Capacity building sessions for young people across Africa often lean on the technical elements of climate change and is missing an opportunity to engage in a fun, practical, hands-on manner. By integrating climate education into sports programs, the BAL can amplify youth voices in shaping NDCs 3.0 and NBSAPs, fostering a culture of sustainability. Inclusivity, a cross-cutting priority, is advanced through the UN Sports for Nature Framework, which emphasizes accessibility for persons with disabilities (PWD). Rwanda’s BK Arena, with its inclusive facilities, sets a precedent for PWD participation as athletes, spectators and advocates with dedicated sections, parking spots and easy access to the arena including its facilities. Kenya can build on this by integrating PWD into sports-based climate initiatives such as training for green jobs or advocacy campaigns. This ensures sports-driven climate action leaves no one behind and enhances regional policy initiatives under the EAC and in Kenya where basketball facilities are inadequate and the few available require significant adjustments to meet sustainability goals.
With the new wave of NDCs in Africa still trickling that are intended to show more ambition to meet the climate goals within our local contexts and with the SB 62 just on the horizon, perhaps we can pivot more on the GST Dialogues and advance talks around the Global Goal on Adaptation and Accelerating Climate Education as two key entry points to anchor climate resilient infrastructure in sports.
Phillip Dinga,Climate and Sustainability Expert
