This year’s Tokyo Olympics set a record with at least 186 out LGBTQ athletes taking part in the Games. It was also scorching hot in Tokyo during the Games, with matches moving to the evening to help with the heat.

So it makes sense that a new PSA featuring Olympic athletes calling on the planet’s most powerful governments to take meaningful steps to combat climate change would include several of those LGBTQ participants.

The video features Olympic competitors reading an open letter to the “leaders of the world” and is released to coincide with the COP26 climate summit currently taking place in Glasgow.

Of the three members of #TeamLGBTQ featured, Tom Daley appears on camera twice through the ad’s two minute of running time.

After becoming one of the most celebrated stars of the Tokyo Games, Daley has utilized his heightened status to advocate for important social causes such as banning countries that punish LGBTQ people with death from international competitions.

In addition, the climate change video includes New Zealand Olympic rower Emma Twigg. The Tokyo Games were Twigg’s fourth Olympic competition and her first as an out athlete. She celebrated by winning gold in Women’s Single Sculls and setting a new Olympic record for her time.

Finally, the PSA closes with words from Kristen Thomas of the United States Women’s Rugby Team. Thomas and her teammates finished in sixth place at Tokyo.

Fittingly, the three members of #TeamLGBTQ hail from different continents in three distinct regions of the planet, reflecting how climate change is a worldwide concern.

And while Daley, Twigg and Thomas were representing different countries at the Olympics, they’re now focused on trying to bring home a win for everyone on Earth with new and meaningful climate change policy. We’ll see if these world leaders bring meaningful policy change at the summit.

Don't forget to share: