Players, plans, podcasts and more
Round-up #32
This newsletter has previously covered many brave, candid and forthright players individually speaking out on climate issues. At the same there’s been a gap in understanding how footballers as a whole feel. That’s what makes the new research by footballer Amy James-Turner on women players’ perspectives feel so important.
For those who missed Amy’s post about it in this newsletter, it’s here. And I know a few people had gremlins accessing the must-read report, so here again is a link.
For me, a key finding is that more conversations can help build common purpose. We all have a role supporting that. I look forward to trying to do my bit on that front. And I’m all ears to hear what you are up to.
With that in mind, its on to an eclectic round-up of news from the last month.
Fran
FA Cup Final
Last year the earth was about 1.4°C warmer than it was in the late 19th century when the first FA Cup final was held. So says a thread by the renowned Grantham Institute. Here is the video from it:
A first?
Many clubs have sustainability policies, and a handful also have net zero targets. However, Chester FC are the first I’ve come across who have a targeted annual reduction plan. It’s part of their first net-zero report.
Podcast
The first guest post in this newsletter was by Dr. Leslie Mabon, who has written an essential review of football and climate change research. In this engaging new podcast he talks about that work and much more.
More from players
“If football has a superpower, it’s teamwork, and I think that’s exactly what our planet needs a bit of right now”
Gareth Bale speaking at the launch of The Pledge Ball. It also includes pledges from several players and football organisations.
Elsewhere, Wycombe Wanderers player, and PFA sustainability champion, David Wheeler is interviewed encouraging more Premier League players to speak out.
Action Days
The German Football Association (DFB) has announced a Climate Protection Action Matchday in its top leagues. Taking inspiration from this the 3. Liga (3rd tier league) has started its own “"Our game, our responsibility" campaign. In April ten of its clubs came together, organised by Mael Corboz of Arminia Bielefeld.
Elsewhere, The Ghana Football Association will take part in this year’s Green Ghana Day on 7th June. Do these action days in Ghana and Germany point to the start of trend of national football bodies leading green action days around the world?
Events
"Sport is not just an entertainment product, it is the expression of community, identity and belonging. Climate change is one of the biggest challenges [for] humanity … We're drawing 1-1 in a pre-season friendly and we're celebrating it like we've won the title. We need to find a whole different gear, a different level”.
Sean McCabe, Climate Justice Officer, Bohemians FC speaking at the BASIS Conference. Further conference reflections by the BBC’s David Lockwood and Joanna Czutkowna of 5Thread.
Coming up
The Sustainability Report hosts Amy James-Turner and a panel online on Tuesday 4th June on the ‘Women’s Football and Climate Change’ report.
This evening in London: Green Pitch: New Frontiers for Sustainable Football Conference. Drop me a line if you are there too!
The World Football Summit: Americas is in Mexico next week. There’s no place for environmental issues on the agenda. This despite the event taking place in a country seeing monkeys drop dead out of trees due to historic heat, and ‘day zero’ for Mexico City’s water system fast approaching.
"Football is huge and they’re punching below their weight at the moment. I wish they’d act more”
Chris Boardman MBE, Chair of Sport England, as the organisation launched its new sustainability strategy.
Clubs
Sport Positive have released their Premier League Clubs Environmental Sustainability Report. It maps efforts from all 20 Premier League clubs across 13 categories. There’s lots of useful information on clubs, and a look at trends and progress.
Writing on its launch, BBC Sport’s Dave Lockwood says “Football needs leadership, it needs organisations to come together & plan meaningful progress across the game not just at individual clubs”.
Elsewhere, Real Betis, FC Porto, Racing Club and Malmo have completed ‘life cycle assessments’ as part of an EU-funded ‘Free-Kicks’ project. More here.
Also:
Leicester Nirvana on moving from conversation to capital: “One of the key challenges we face is the disparity between the conversations happening at the corporate level and the realities on the ground in grassroots communities”.
Leyton Orient are planning to install solar panels on their stadium roof.
Misfits Women FC, from Bristol, travelled to Wembley for the Women's FA Cup Final on an electric bus. The long-distance bus service is a first-of-its-kind in England. A glimpse of the future.
Manchester City have announced that all replica kits will be made using Puma's RE:FIBRE process. Elsewhere the club’s sustainability lead has spoken to Business Green (though i’ve not read this).
Manchester United have surveyed fans on what sustainability means to them.
Nottingham Forest have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with E.ON to help the club build a sustainability strategy.
Real Betis and Hummel have launched a new “Forever Green” shirt made from recycled polyester.
A Court bid to prevent Spurs leasing a rewilded London golf course failed.
Plane Wrong by Josimar looks at Spurs and Newcastle United’s use of private jets to fly to a friendly in Australia.
Sutton United have been awarded EFL Green Clubs accreditation, the third club after Forest Green Rovers and Bristol City.
Wycombe Wanderers Player, David Wheeler, showcases the club’s sustainability efforts.
In other news
Organisations
Action FC’s ambassador programme, Gamechangers, is looking for people interested in women’s football and want to advocate for climate action.
Congratulations to Birmingham County FA, for achieving the King’s Award for Enterprise for Sustainable Development.
The latest Football For Future newsletter is just out. To hear more about their news, work and insights sign-up here.
Matches
The Coppa Italia final was designed with several sustainability initiatives in mind and a follow-up report is planned.
The Turkish Football Federation's location choice for a play-off final match sparked debate about its sustainability.
Hot and humid conditions impacted the U-17 Euro games in Cyprus: “a lot of the football is slowing to walking pace”.
A dangerous Hong Kong rainstorm alert was ignored for a decisive game.
Learning
A well-presented ‘Best Practices’ graphic, also contains more detailed layers of support for clubs and organisations.
A helpful introduction to new EU ‘CSRD’ reporting requirements for football.
Perspectives
Fans, football, fear and the path to systemic change by George Timms, for The Sustainability Report
Before the Football Governance Bill was halted for the UK general election, Fair Game made a submission to MP’s. It included a well-presented case for why environmental sustainability should be included.
The Guardian interviewed Madeleine Orr, author of the new book: ‘Warming Up: How Climate Change is Changing Sport’.
From Euronews. It’s time to score a radical climate goal — by slapping sport with green legislation.
Green Football: Fighting climate change through football. A TV panel discussion from Ghana-based JoyNews.
Climate-related financial disclosure
The English Football Association has put out its first climate-related financial disclosure (on pgs.30-38 of this report). I hope to take an in-depth look at it in a future post (if time allows!). In the meantime, one initial observation …
We are starting to see climate risk assessments from a handful of clubs, and also this one from The FA. My impression so far is that the approach to climate-risks in football seems inconsistent and incomplete. But I’d really welcome any insights or alternative perspectives here.
Sponsors
From The Mirror: UEFA urged to ban sponsors after new statistics emerge before Champions League final. The full report quoted in the article is here.
JP Morgan Chase, sponsors of the FA, are ranked first amongst financiers of fossil fuels in a major new report.
With airlines sponsoring so many teams it will be of interest to note that the EU has launched greenwashing action against 20 airlines.
Fossil fuel companies have no place in sport by Michael Hardy of the Game Changer Sponsorship Pledge.
Brazil. Floods and Football. Update #5
Football resumed after a two-week pause. That followed a charity match led by Ronaldhino. The two most affected Série A clubs, SC Internacional and Grêmio, marked their returns at their matches.
Other smaller clubs have been badly affected too, and this important piece, ‘Drama, losses and solidarity’, tells their stories.
Timings for SC Internacional and Grêmio’s return to their home grounds is unclear with July being possible. Costs, and who will pick them up, are still being considered. In the meantime, the clubs are playing ‘home’ matches at different stadiums on a game-by-game basis.
Adjustments to the football calendar are still being worked out with the Brazilian Football Confederation. It looks like there will be some switching of home and away games, and use of dates allocated to FIFA games. Speculation of relegation being cancelled was ruled-out.
UEFA
The EURO 2024 climate fund has given an additional €1.9m to 81 amateur clubs in Germany and has now supported 161 clubs. This is in the context of 4,326 applications. Further understanding of the failed applications would seem useful.
UEFA is celebrating 20 years of its club licensing system. Looking to the future, isn’t it time for UEFA to move beyond the very basic, unenforced environmental criteria in its existing licensing system? This could build on what French and German leagues are doing, bring consistency, and take account of the new CSRD reporting world.
FIFA
FIFA has set up a working group to look at a new framework for ‘out-of-territory games’ (domestic club games played overseas). Its terms of reference include a list of “non-exhaustive factors” it will take into account. This doesn’t include sustainability. Broadcaster, Michael Crick said “FIFA are discussing plans for football clubs to play domestic games overseas. So any commitment they have to reducing climate change is utterly bogus.”
In other FIFA news
Fossil Free Football had made a statement an the overloaded calendar standing with the World Leagues Association and FIFPRO in their fight with FIFA.
Climate issues did not feature at the FIFA Congress, except from the Brazilian football President when his county was awarded the Women’s World Cup 2027. He drew attention to "a theme impacting all of us Brazilians, a tragedy, a catastrophe due to climate change in Rio Grande du Sol ... where we lost many lives".
The FIFA President has been invited to attend the COP29 international climate talks in November.
See you again soon. All ideas, corrections and comments welcome in the meantime!
Fran James (he/him)
Football and Climate Change Newsletter
footballandclimatechange@gmail.com
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