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Forest Green Rovers owner Dale Vince has said the Premier League can improve future carbon neutral games in an appearance on The Athletic’s Business of Sport podcast.
Tottenham Hotspur played Chelsea on September 19 this season in a match the Premier League billed as the “first net-zero carbon match in elite football”. Organisers aimed to minimise emissions by powering the stadium with renewable energy, ensuring the teams used carbon-neutral modes of transport, and providing fans with eco-friendly dietary options.
Under Vince’s ownership, Forest Green Rovers have become the world’s first vegan, carbon-neutral professional sports team.
Speaking to The Athletic’s Business of Sport podcast, Vince said: “I was really glad they did it because it puts a marker down to have the first zero carbon game in the Premier League. I’m hoping that it causes other clubs to say ‘We’re going to go down that road’, because they know the fans want to see it.
“The game itself, it was all right. I think they travelled on bio-diesel buses instead of diesel buses, which is a step, but I mean, it’s not an important one. They could have used electric buses, there are some nearby and I’d have told them if I knew they were planning the game.
“We’re using an electric bus from London in a few games time to travel to one of our away games. And we’ll probably be the first team in the world to do that on an electric bus. They could have done that, but they didn’t know about it, I’m sure just logistically.
“Because there is no cost bar at the Premier League level, all of the things we’ve done are massively affordable. They ought to get on and do it in my opinion, and have many more genuinely zero carbon games.
“I didn’t want to slag off the game they had because I was glad they did it. But they should go further.”
Vince was speaking on the same day that both the Premier League and FIFA announced their sign-up to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework.
FIFA also revealed that they’d launched a climate strategy in order to reach the UN’s targets.
The UN framework asks signatories to reduce 50% of their emissions by 2030 and to become net-zero by 2040. This aims to ensure compliance with the 2015 Paris Agreement’s target of keeping global warming levels beneath 1.5C by the end of the century.
Premier League Chief Executive Richard Masters announced: “In signing up to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, the Premier League is demonstrating its commitment to a more sustainable future.
“Like all sports, football has the power to unite people and we hope that through our work and public commitment to climate change goals, we will also encourage football fans around the world to consider how they can reduce their own carbon footprint.”
On their own climate strategy, FIFA Council member Isha Johansen said: “Football also has the power to radically shift mindsets on climate change and mainstream climate action. We have a huge, attentive audience and it is our duty to amplify these key messages.
“We will help educate fans on climate change and encourage them to play their part in protecting the planet and the beautiful game. We have a moral, urgent duty to accelerate our action. Our commitment to protecting our climate remains unwavering.”
You can listen to the podcast here.
(Photo: GEOFF CADDICK/AFP via Getty Images)
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