Edgbaston Stadium is set to stage its first sustainable international cricket match day after announcing the sold-out Vitality IT20 England against New Zealand.
The stadium’s sustainability manager Lydia Carrington said the aim of the Go Green Game is not only to reduce its 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,” she added.
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.
Spectators are encouraged to use public transport and the club is 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.
More 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.
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The Forecast, Reduce and Reconcile methodology that Edgbaston and Net Zero Now are following mirrors that used by Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 and Paris Olympics 2024 and is an effective way to manage the climate impact of sporting events.
Emily Tradd from Net Zero Now said the data from the match at Edgbaston “will be used as the foundation for a longer-term strategy to reach net zero by 2030″.
“With estimates of the professional sporting industries’ global footprint coming in at around 30 million tonnes of CO2e annually, it is essential that a coherent and consistent approach to measurement and reduction is developed, to provide all clubs with the confidence to take action,” she added.
As part of its campaign to Go Green Game, the stadium has already underlined its green credentials in the last 12 months after reducing waste by a third, running kitchens on 80% locally sourced produce, rolling out a low-energy LED light project, and continued use of e-cups that’s prevented 562,000 plastic alternatives being wasted.
