Liverpool FC at worldwide event with aim to create an environmental legacy

Despite their significant global reach and influence, sports brands, clubs, and organizations have been notably absent from COP28. Among the smattering of sporting attendees, competitions driven by a sustainable purpose, such as Formula E and Sail GP, have put themselves in the spotlight to discuss their sector’s environmental impact, while most others have remained silent.

A slightly more surprising presence at COP28 was Liverpool FC. Football clubs have traditionally been at the brunt of criticism from environmental activists, with teams’ transport choices, and thus carbon footprint, regularly scrutinized. In an interview with Al Arabiya English, Liverpool’s Director of Impact, Rishi Jain, recognizes that as an obvious place for clubs to start, but a sustainable approach should go much further.

Travel to and from games is such a tiny part of our operations, but of course, it is the most visible, so you can understand why people gravitate towards it, Jain explains. It’s also tricky because the industry we’re in, the more successful you are, the more you travel. We’ve been very open about our carbon emissions, and we know we can do better.

In 2021, Liverpool launched The Red Way, a manifesto recognizing the club’s responsibility to use its voice and take demonstrable action against climate change, equality, diversity, and inclusion. It highlights areas for celebration as well as areas for improvement. We want to be totally transparent with our targets and whether we are hitting them or not, Jain says.

What is COP28?

COP28 is an opportunity for us to tell our story and the commitment that we have around sustainability, and hopefully, it means we can make a real difference. We want to lead in this space, and we want to do more, he added. Liverpool FC already has a host of sustainability initiatives, including running the team bus on hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) and switching to 100 percent carbon-neutral, recyclable and degradable packaging bags.