Edgbaston Stadium will stage its first sustainable international match day when the Men’s Vitality IT20 play New Zealand on Sunday, 3 September marking the first sustainable game of its kind for UK cricket.
Over the last 12 months, the stadium has underlined its green credentials having reduced waste by a third, ran its kitchens on 80% locally sourced produce, rolled out a low-energy LED light project, and promoted the use of e-cups through a campaign that has prevented 562,000 plastic alternatives being wasted.
However, marking the stadium’s big Go Green Game when the Blackcaps visit in September, Edgbaston will further drive down emissions and the match’s carbon footprint while raising sustainability awareness among fans and the wider community.
The game will focus on cutting emissions across all scopes of the ground’s footprint.
For a start, spectators will be encouraged to use public transport and the Club will be working with National Express West Midlands to provide additional services and free travel for ticket holders on the company’s buses and shuttle buses to the stadium.
A higher number of volunteers will be positioned on walking and cycle routes to direct people to the ground and there will be improved signage from the city centre.
The stadium has also secured solar power for September – with electricity coming from a 100% local solar power supply – to ensure preparation days, matchday and clean-up days for the IT20 are covered by renewable energy.
According to Edgbaston’s sustainability manager, Lydia Carrington, the stadium is committed on a path towards Net Zero.
“The aim of the Go Green Game is not only to reduce our emissions but to raise awareness among staff, spectators, and our community of the influence the sporting and event industry can have on sustainability and climate change.
“It’s part of our Edgbaston 4 Sustainability pledge because we want to operate the most sustainable cricket stadium in the UK.”
The game will witness the introduction of improved recycling facilities, an increased vegetarian and vegan menu, including produce from Edgbaston’s own allotment, while the stadium will be working with the ECB to minimize the environmental impact of players.
“We have our sustainability partners, Drax and National Express, providing renewable energy and public transport services, and are working with Net Zero Now to help us forecast the game’s carbon footprint, identify opportunities to reduce it, and then measure the actual footprint after the game and produce a report,” added Lydia.
“Data on everything from the number of meals and drinks served to floodlight usage, water consumption, and every spectator’s travel to the stadium will be factored in.”
This Forecast, Reduce, and Reconcile methodology that Edgbaston and Net Zero Now will follow mirrors that used by Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 and how the Paris Olympics 2024 will operate. It’s recognised as an effective way to manage the climate impact of sporting events.
Emily Tradd from Net Zero Now, said: “Games like Edgbaston’s IT20 attract global attention and represent an important step towards reducing professional sport’s contribution to climate change.
“Warwickshire County Cricket Club is taking the initiative to dramatically reduce the overall footprint of their Go Green Game at Edgbaston, engaging fans, teams, and staff and investing in certified carbon credits equivalent to the forecast emissions from match day.
“The experience gained from the Go Green Game will be used as the foundation for a longer-term strategy to reach Net Zero by 2030.”
It’s estimated the professional sporting industries’ global footprint comes in at around 30 million tonnes of CO2e a year. A coherent and consistent approach to measurement and reduction is therefore essential if clubs are to feel confident enough to take action.
