The Top Five Ways Scottish Football can be More Sustainable Ahead of COP26

With almost 200 world leaders and members of the royal family set to descend upon Glasgow ahead of the COP26 climate conference in November, several Scottish football clubs have utilised their platform within society to reduce carbon emissions and be more environmentally sustainable ahead of the conference in Glasgow later next month. 

It is undeniable how influential a platform football holds over society and has the potential to be a powerful tool to encourage fans to reduce their carbon footprint.

Peter Davidson, Director of Montrose Football Club said: 

“I definitely think it could be a key to behaviour change. If your local football club is doing it, then more often than not, the local football fan will want to get behind their team and follow their advice. 

“Football has a huge role to play, and it should be involved in that all agency approach to try and change their ways.

“Whether you like or loathe football, there’s no denying it’s a powerful tool, and it has the ability to reach, engage and positively influence people in a way like no other. So, why shouldn’t football be using that appeal, that power and that popularity to good use in what is a climate crisis in this minute in time.”

 Hibernian - Matchday Travel

The Edinburgh based club, who branded themselves as ‘the greenest club in Scotland’, are currently one of the top three most environmentally sustainable clubs in the UK, alongside Premier League colossus Manchester United and English League Two side, Forest Green Rovers, following the introduction of several green initiatives at Easter Road. The most influential being the pledge to replace all club-owned petrol and diesel-powered cars with the addition of electrically powered vehicles, and the target of reducing supporters travelling to match days by motorised vehicles. 

The replacement of the motorised club owned fleet to electric alternatives is expected to save a staggering 3% of the club’s overall CO2 output. Furthermore, the club have co-ordinated its position with Edinburgh City Council’s travel plan, and currently aims to reduce the 48% of supporters who travel to matches by car. Electric vehicle charging points are to be installed around the clubs stadium and training centre, with the support of free parking for those travelling by electric cars on a match day. 

Hibernian - Energy and Waste 

Being the self-proclaimed ‘greenest club in Scotland’, it is unsurprising that Hibs find themselves on this list for introducing further environmentally friendly projects impacting upon the sustainability of Scottish football. Despite 100% of the energy already used by the club being from renewable sources, ‘the Hibees are exploring the prospect of producing its own renewable energy at both its ‘high performance training centre’ through biomass and ground source heat pumps, harvesting rainwater possibilities, LED lighting and an on-site solar photovoltaic (PV) farm and at Easter Road stadium. The solar PV system will convert energy sourced from sunlight into electricity which can then be integrated into an electricity grid to power the building.

Furthermore, in an effort to further reach its target of carbon neutrality, 100% of all matchday waste will be recycled and all single use plastics such as: straws, sauce sachets, stirrers and food containers which would’ve ordinarily been sent to landfills, will be removed. 

In an open letter addressed to supporters, Hibernian majority shareholder, Ronald Gordon stated: 

“We are looking at how we use power better, how we might generate power, how to reduce our use of water, how we create partnerships with other like-minded organisations determined to reduce our impact on the planet.”

Montrose FC - Recycling

In partnership with their community trust, Montrose FC have tried to combat their carbon impact by launching a kit and boot recycling project, with the aim of preventing discarded clothing from going to a landfill whilst providing children in low-income households with high quality kit.

The project, developed as part of the ‘Keep Scotland Beautiful’ climate challenge fund, has had extraordinary success in the local area, with the overall output of CO2e being considerably reduced despite it being a small-scale initiative.

Peter Davidson said:

“The kit and boot recycling project had the main aim of stopping discarded clothing from going to a landfill whilst providing children in low-income families with access to perfectly good and usable kit.

“In total, I would suggest [we have rehoused] somewhere in the region of 1,200 pairs of boots over a four-year period which saved just over a thousand tons of CO2e. The football strip recycling project saved over 811 tons.

“So, collectively if you weigh all of that up, it is quite hard hitting as a small project,” 

Ayr United/Ayr United Football Academy - Drying Room 

Ayr United FC looked to reduce their carbon impact by influencing key changes to their levels of energy usage. The key element being the replacement of tumble dryers for a kit drying room alternative. 

Following the initial year of the project, Ayr United saved 8.55 tonnes of CO2. It was calculated that if Ayr United were to persist with this change over the next decade, they would make a combined saving of 95.23 tonnes of CO2 equating to a considerable financial reduction of £12,000

 Dartford Football Club - First sustainable purpose-built stadium

Despite Dartford playing in the National League south, the 6th tier of English football, the Kent based side have been commended for their environmental sustainability and have introduced several projects that Scottish football should take note of. 

In 2019, the club were bestowed with the ‘Sustainability in Sport’ award at the Green Heart Hero awards ceremony in Parliament for recognition of their purpose-built sustainable eco-friendly stadium, Princes Park.

The 4100-capacity stadium has incorporated a vast range of modern technology to reduce their carbon emissions. The stadium features: rainwater harvesting, solar panels, undersoil heating and low energy lighting. The football pitch is watered through artificial pipes that collect water from two nearby lakes, eliminating the need to use up the main towns supplies. 

The club also actively encourage supporters to travel to the ground by public transport rather than by car.