The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) has released its 2024 Carbon Footprint Report, its seventh in total, and first issued under a new biennial reporting cycle. This update, positioned between the full calculations for the years 2023 and 2025 (to come), reflects a strategic shift towards a lighter methodology and more focused monitoring of the federation’s highest-impact activities.
‘Mid-Cycle’ Approach for 2024
The 2024 report departs from previous publications by applying a simplified “mid-cycle” methodology approach. Instead of recalculating all emission sources, the UIAA focused on updating the categories showing the greatest variability. These were:
Delegate travel
Principally to the General Assembly (Malta), November 2024, and the Spring Meetings and Mountain Sports Symposium held in Bariloche, Argentina, in April 2024.
Competition Ice Climbing
Athlete travel to UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour-level events.
Other sources, such as office energy use, contractor emissions, and smaller meeting travel, are deliberately fixed at 2023 levels and will be recalculated comprehensively in 2025. This methodological refinement is designed to ensure continuity, reduce reporting workload, and align with the Swiss Alpine Club’s biennial infrastructure data cycle. On this latter point, information and data relating to energy use and infrastructure at the UIAA Office is provided by the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC) with whom offices are shared.
In Numbers
The UIAA’s total estimated emissions for 2024 reached a little over 274 tonnes of CO₂, a 14% increase from 2023 (approximately 240 tonnes) but still 25% below the 2018 baseline.
The rise in 2024 stems mainly from the hosting of the Spring Meetings in South America which resulted in more long-haul flights for delegates, and higher attendance at the General Assembly in Malta compared to recent GAs.
Athlete travel, on the other hand, remained relatively stable. There were slightly fewer athletes per event which was offset by a larger number of athletes participating across the season as a whole.
2025 Report
The 2025 UIAA Carbon Footprint report, to be released in 2026, will contain a full recalculation of all relevant categories, as well as contain additional refinements and precision relative to earlier reports, including a first strategic approach towards the purchase of carbon offsets. Specifically, the following categories are planned to offer additional precision:
- Delegate travel: Data collection to be collected via event registration
- Local transport and venue energy and catering data for UIAA events
Looking ahead towards 2024 Climate Neutrality
The UIAA has set the ambitious target of achieving climate neutrality by 2040.
Current progress indicates that this goal remains realistic but will require sustained action, particularly in:
- Reducing emissions from air travel, the largest contributor to the UIAA footprint
- Supporting member federations in aligning their own climate strategies with UIAA’s objectives
- Scaling up mitigation measures to keep overall emissions on a downward trajectory
The combination of regular monitoring, targeted interventions, and collaboration with member federations will allow the UIAA to stay on course and make timely adjustments. Tracking the most emission-intensive activities and consistently applying the avoid–reduce–compensate hierarchy will be critical to ensuring that the 2040 neutrality goal remains within reach.
Further Information
To view:
- The 2024 UIAA Carbon Footprint Report please click here.
- A full archive of UIAA Carbon Footprint Reports dating back to 2018 please click here.
- Information on the UIAA’s work in climate change click here.