30 January, 2026

The World Economic Forum’s recent Sports for People and Planet report warns that the global sports economy is entering a critical turning point as rising physical inactivity and accelerating environmental pressures threaten both the demand for sport and the conditions required to host it. The report estimates that up to 14% of annual sports‑economy revenue could be lost by 2030 due to climate disruption, nature loss and shrinking participation rates.  

Sport finds itself in a bind. It is increasingly vulnerable to climate and health pressures, yet its own footprint intensifies pressures on the natural systems it depends on through high resource consumption, carbon emissions, waste generation and land‑use impacts. The report’s conclusions are clear: for long‑term stability, the sector must rethink how it uses resources, designs events and supports active, resilient communities. 

Against this backdrop, the international racing series for all-electric formula cars, Formula E, stands out with its recent B Corp certification. It is the first global sports organisation to earn this recognition. Formula E achieved this certification based on strong social and environmental standards at race events, community programmes in host cities, worker‑wellbeing commitments and robust transparency practices. Its twelfth season is designed with sustainability at its core, grouping races by continent to significantly reduce freight mileage and cut CO₂ emissions, demonstrating that global scale and environmental leadership can thrive together. The Formula E series continues to promote advancements in electric mobility and sustainable innovation, aligning directly with the WEF’s call to embed sustainability into the core of sporting systems rather than treating it as an add‑on. 

Formula E’s progress offers a useful signal for the wider sector. It shows that sport can innovate and embrace sustainable operations while continuing to grow its reach, with the series’ global cumulative TV audience up by 14% to a record 561 million in the 2024/25 season. The WEF report argues that future prosperity depends on this kind of integrated approach where sport strengthens the ecosystems it relies on while expanding participation. Formula E’s path is not the finish line, but it is a reminder that balance is possible, and that the sector has room to evolve with purpose. 

By Tulika Agarwal