Keeping Score on Climate

For University of Richmond junior Duncan Hall, a classroom assignment became something much bigger: a published research paper exploring how AI could reshape climate accountability on a global stage.

Hall, who is majoring in business administration with concentrations in finance and international business and a minor in sustainability, was recently named one of six finalists in the Journal for Global Business and Community’s 2026 essay competition. His paper, “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Climate Accountability Through Sports,” will appear in an upcoming issue of the journal, a recognition that places his work alongside emerging global scholarship.

The opportunity began when Doug Bosse, management professor and associate dean of international business programs, suggested Hall submit to the competition, which is affiliated with the Consortium for Undergraduate International Business Education (CUIBE). Initially motivated by the chance to earn a scholarship to attend the 2026 Global Student Leadership Council at Universidad EAFIT in Medellín, Colombia, Hall quickly found deeper purpose in the project itself.

During a study abroad experience in Stockholm, Sweden, as part of Richmond’s Green Spiders Abroad program, Hall explored sustainability in sports within a culture that treats environmental responsibility as a shared societal priority. The experience proved formative. “It made the topic feel much more real,” he said, noting how Sweden’s collectivist mindset contrasted with attitudes he had seen in the U.S.

It also sparked a question – what if the sports industry, one of the most visible and emotionally charged sectors in the world, could become a testing ground for climate innovation?

Hall’s research answers that question by blending three rapidly evolving fields – sports, sustainability, and AI. His essay proposes developing a real-time “carbon intelligence platform” powered by AI that tracks emissions across major sporting events, from team travel to stadium energy use to global supply chains.

The goal, Hall explained, is to shift how organizations approach sustainability fundamentally. “Right now, a lot of climate reporting is retrospective,” he said. “This would allow it to be actively managed in real time.”

Few industries offer a stage as large as global sports. Events like the FIFA World Cup draw billions of viewers and leave a massive environmental footprint. At the same time, they carry immense cultural influence, a combination Hall believes can drive meaningful change.

“Sports are incredibly global, highly public, and emotionally engaging,” he said. “As fans become more aware of climate issues, they start to care about the environmental impact of their favorite teams.”

His research also uncovered surprising gaps. While studying preparations for the 2026 World Cup, set to take place across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, Hall found a lack of formalized, real-time climate tracking systems; a discovery that reinforced the urgency of his proposed solution.

The project challenged him to think across disciplines in new ways. With limited prior experience in generative AI, Hall immersed himself in understanding how emerging technologies could be applied to sustainability challenges. In doing so, he expanded his perspective beyond individual behavior to examine how large-scale systems shape environmental outcomes.

Looking ahead, Hall sees this research as just the beginning. He is particularly interested in how leagues could incentivize teams and fans to adopt more sustainable practices, turning data insights into tangible behavioral change.

Despite not receiving the scholarship to attend the conference in Medellín, Hall describes the experience as deeply rewarding. “I was grateful that my academic work was recognized, especially by an organization outside the University,” he said. “And the fact that I was able to write about something like sports and still be recognized made it even more exciting.”

That blend of passion and purpose continues to shape his ambitions. After graduation, Hall hopes to work abroad in a role that sits at the intersection of sustainability, sports, and business.