Arsenal have become the first Premier League club to to sign up to the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Framework, and initiative for the sports industry to tackle climate change. The Gunners follow in the footsteps of League Two side Forest Green Rovers and Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership.
The UN Sports for Climate Action Framework is potentially a huge force for positive change in the sporting sector, with its aim to bring together the global sports community with the goals of the Paris Agreement and support the ambition to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. And now it has a new ally, with news that Arsenal have signed on, becoming the first Premier League club to do so.
In a 2019 study by the BBC and the United Nations-backed Sport Positive Summit, Arsenal topped the league table on sustainability among Premier League clubs. One year on, and they are building on the work they are already doing in this area and encouraging positive climate action to their millions of supporters around the world. The move follows the example set by Hector Bellerin, who has been a beacon in the battle against climate change and who recently became a stakeholder at Forest Green Rovers.
The initiative aims to achieve its ambition by adhering to five principles; undertaking systematic efforts to promote greater environmental responsibility, reducing overall climate impact, educating on climate action, promotion sustainable and responsible consumption and advocating for climate action through communication.
Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu, Sports for Climate Action Lead at UN Climate Change, said: “Football inspires so many of us around the world and there is a remarkable potential for the game to become greener, more climate resilient and lead by example for millions of global fans."
“Arsenal is committed to leading the way on sustainability among Premier League clubs and we are proud to be the first club to sign up to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework," Arsenal operations director, Hywel Sloman, said.
“Together with our partners, we’ve already implemented a number of environmentally-friendly practices across the club. This includes becoming the first Premier League club to switch to 100 per cent green electricity since the beginning of our partnership with Octopus Energy in 2016, and a new partnership with aluminium packaging company Ball Corporation, which is designed to help us and our millions of fans around the world reduce our impact on the environment.
“We will continue to use the power and reach of Arsenal to inspire our global communities and push each other towards a more sustainable future.”
Here's hoping this is this is the first of many...
