The university is fully committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2030, applying sustainable development across its activities, and working closely with students, staff and the wider community to help radically reduce carbon and enhance social value.
Join us as we celebrate this pledge and our ongoing commitment to ensuring we better our impact on the planet at Charlton Athletic's Greener Game on Saturday 25 February. Register your interest via Eventbrite here.
Simon Goldsmith, Head of Sustainability, has shared the following which will feature in the match day programme on the day.
Protecting the beautiful game by protecting the planet
Did you know that a quarter of football league team stadiums in England are at risk of flooding due to impacts of the climate crisis by 2050?*
If we love football, then we all need to take actions that reduce and reverse the environmental impacts we make. In 2015, Carlisle United’s Brunton Park was hit by Storm Desmond, which caused them to cancel games at the grounds for seven weeks.
Many sports are affected by the climate crisis, including in the last few years; the Rugby World Cup, the Australian Tennis Open and the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. All were forced to postpone or move fixtures.
Scientists have proved that global heating will cause more damaging weather patterns. This will not only have an impact on the sports we love, but also on our lives and work. That’s why it’s important to raise awareness, so we can do more to reduce our carbon emissions and the waste we generate, while protecting nature and supporting the communities that we are all part of. The upcoming Greener Game shows that Charlton cares and it asks you to care more too.
As sponsors of Charlton Athletic, the university is proud of what it is doing to be a responsible educator, employer and member of the local community.
Our Net Zero goal
We have set an ambitious ‘Net Zero’ goal of not emitting carbon from the heating and powering of our buildings and our vehicle fleet by 2030. We’re investing in air source heat pumps, energy efficiency, electric double-decker busses and hybrid coaches.
We encourage all staff and students to use reusables and we have campus cafés that are disposable free. We reward students and staff by doing green actions via an innovative phone app. We create spaces for wildlife to thrive and we give our staff and students the opportunity to learn about how sustainability is relevant to their studies, work, lives and future careers.
We know that we have a duty to help produce graduates that can change the world for the better, by solving the many challenges the planet and our communities face. Our researchers are contributing to solutions to critical issues such as alleviating hunger, protecting our natural world, building smart and clean cities, creating healthier and safer societies and much more.
Research finds that football supporters really do care about the planet. Football clubs do too.
So, as part of your commitment to make sure that future generations of supporters can enjoy football like you do, please change one thing today to help make a difference to the planet. If all Charlton fans do the same, and if the billions of football fans around the world do too, then football can help save the planet.
*Source: Playing against the clock | Rapid Transition Alliance
