Case study
Emissions reduction in major sport
Sport
SME
Edgbaston is one of the world's most iconic cricket venues, hosting international matches and major tournaments in Birmingham. As part of their commitment to achieving net-zero by 2030 - aligned with Birmingham City Council's climate goals - Edgbaston partnered with Ecologi to transform how sporting events approach sustainability.
At a glance
About Edgbaston Stadium
In 2023, they designated the England vs New Zealand IT20 match as their inaugural "Go Green Game," using it as a testing ground to measure, understand, and dramatically reduce the environmental impact of a major sporting event. This pioneering initiative aimed to prove that world-class cricket and ambitious climate action could go hand in hand, while creating a replicable model for the entire sports industry.
Company size
100+ fte
Industry
Sports & Entertainment
Use case
Event emissions measurement, reduction planning, and sustainable event delivery
Services used
Carbon footprint and emissions reduction
The issue
Edgbaston has set ambitious targets to achieve net-zero by 2030, in line with Birmingham City Council's 2019 commitment. In 2023, they targeted an IT20 event (England vs New Zealand) as their Go Green Game, with the objective of gaining a deeper understanding of the ground's climate impact and key emissions sources while testing priority plans to reduce these emissions by 25%.
The challenges
Complex emissions mapping: Understanding and measuring emissions across all event sources including spectator travel, food and merchandise, pitch maintenance, and energy consumption
Ambitious reduction target: Achieving a 25% reduction in actual event emissions compared to forecast
Data quality and methodology: Ensuring accurate measurement and calculation methodologies between forecast and actual results
Coordinating multiple interventions: Implementing reduction strategies across transport, catering, operations, and fan engagement simultaneously
Creating sector leadership: Developing a transparent process that could stimulate broader industry discussion and action
The solution
Working with Ecologi, Edgbaston developed and implemented a comprehensive emissions reduction strategy:
Measurement & Forecasting:
Created initial footprint forecast based on data from a previous similar match (Vitality Finals Day 2022)
Scaled results for known differences relating to duration and number of spectators
Produced initial forecast of 773 tCO2e with spectator travel as the dominant source (79.8% of emissions)
Targeted Reduction Actions Delivered:
Sustainable Transport: National Express West Midlands offered free bus travel for ticket holders, with more than 3,600 fans arriving via free shuttle bus service from New Street station
Sustainable Catering: No red meat served in the stadium and all packaging made from compostable seaweed
Active Travel Promotion: Employees, contractors and spectators encouraged to use active travel options
Electric Ground Maintenance: Grounds staff used electric mowers and rollers for pitch preparation
Renewable Energy: The day was powered exclusively by wind, hydro and solar energy
Fan Engagement: Five thousand 4 and 6 cards printed on seed paper that fans were encouraged to take home and plant
Methodology Refinement:
Re-based the original forecast to isolate actual reductions from improvements in data quality and calculation methodology
Ensured transparent reporting to celebrate genuine action-driven reductions rather than "phantom reductions"
The results
Final measurement breakdown:
Re-based forecast: 494.13 tonnes CO2e
Final actual emissions: 327.79 tonnes CO2e
Total reduction achieved: 166.34 tonnes CO2e
Specific reductions by category:
Electricity: 47.88 tonnes CO2e saved through renewable energy
Spectator travel: 73.55 tonnes CO2e saved through sustainable transport
Food and drink: 23.98 tonnes CO2e saved through menu and packaging changes
Waste: 1.46 tonnes CO2e saved
Other operational improvements: 16.08 tonnes CO2e saved
The program successfully demonstrated that significant emissions reductions are achievable at major sporting events while maintaining spectator experience quality, representing a significant step forward in climate impact management at sports venues.
"The program was a success in its achievement of emissions reductions beyond the target 25% and represents a significant step forward in climate impact management at sports venues. By reporting transparently on the process, it is hoped that the Go Green Game can stimulate a discussion about development of a consistent sector methodology and encourage greater sector engagement and accelerated action."
Edgbaston Stadium
