Snowboard champion takes on environmental role

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, or UNCCD, Secretariat has named Chinese Olympic snowboarding champion Su Yiming as its newest Sport4Land Champion for Resilience, according to a media release from the organization on Wednesday.

The appointment recognizes Su's inspiring journey, his commitment to empowering young people through sport, and his growing leadership in promoting resilience, both on and beyond the slopes, the release said.

Snowboarding exists because of healthy mountain environments and reliable snowfall, resilient landscapes, and thriving ecosystems are not simply the backdrop of the sport but what make it possible, the UNCCD noted.

It said, as climate change accelerates land degradation, biodiversity loss, and water stress, athletes like Su can help inspire new generations to understand that protecting nature also means protecting the future of sport and the communities that depend on healthy land.

"Protecting the land is protecting the future of every turn we carve, every run we chase and every moment we find freedom on snow," Su was quoted in the release as saying. "Today, I call on every young person to be a champion for their own corner of the Earth – one small daily act at a time. Let's turn our love for the outdoors into action that heals the ground beneath us."

Su joins a growing network of Sport4Land Champions using the universal language of sport to raise awareness about land restoration, drought resilience, and sustainable land management, the UNCCD said.

Launched during the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the UNCCD brings together athletes from around the world to inspire action for healthy land and encourage fans to become part of the solution, according to the release.

As Sport4Land Champion for Resilience, Su will work with the UNCCD to help engage young people and sports communities in protecting and restoring land. Through advocacy, awareness-raising, and public engagement, he will champion the idea that resilience is built not only through perseverance and determination, but also through safeguarding the natural environments that sustain life, livelihoods, and sport itself.