Many scientific communicators and disseminators often wonder how to get the latest news about the fight against global warming to more people. One solution that has been gaining ground recently is to involve the world of sport, making teams and athletes ‘sustainability champions’.

In this context, football, the world’s most popular sport, can be a powerful vehicle to inspire positive action and raise awareness on some of the crucial issues of environmental protection. One of the most committed and successful clubs with regard to sustainability is Forest Green Rovers, which stands out not so much for its performance on the pitch (they play in England’s fourth league), but for its awareness-raising efforts that are unprecedented in the sports industry. FIFA (Federation Internationale de Football Association) even dedicated a documentary to them entitled: ‘Another Way – The Forest Green Rovers story’ [1]. 

In 2018, they were also recognised by the United Nations as the ‘world’s first zero-emission football club’ [2]. Located in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire (UK) [3], the club has attracted international media attention in recent years due to its mission to become the first football club in the world with a completely vegan diet and for its practices aimed at reducing its environmental impact.

Founded in 1889, Forest Green Rovers has gone through several phases in its football history. However, it has been in recent years that the club has caught the public’s attention for its bold and innovative vision. Indeed, in 2010 the club was acquired by Dale Vince, a British green energy entrepreneur known for his significant environmental commitment, since then Forest Green Rovers has completely changed its corporate philosophy, adopting a series of initiatives to reduce its climate-altering emissions to zero [4].

The most significant move and the one that caused the most stir was the transformation of the stadium, both in terms of its structure and the eating habits within it. Indeed, from the food served in the kiosks to the items in the club’s official shop, everything is completely made without animal ingredients [3]. This bold and revolutionary choice has attracted the interest of sportsmen and environmentalists but also of many promoters of the vegan diet from all over the world.

As we said before, however, Forest Green Rovers and its innovative owner were not satisfied but rather thought bigger and bigger. The team’s stadium, known as The New Lawn, was recently renovated and is powered by 100% carbon-free energy from renewable sources [3]. Rainwater harvesting systems have also been introduced and initiatives have been promoted to implement recycling and waste reduction during matches. Forest Green Rovers wants to be more than just a football club, it wants to be a sustainability role model for the entire sports industry [3].

Fig. 1: Stadium during a football match. Free-source picture by Brian Dowden downloaded from Pixabay

The goal of the chairman and management is to continue working to raise awareness and inspire others, even bigger clubs to follow their example. Forest Green Rovers’ vision goes beyond just winning on the pitch, what they aim for is to create a positive impact on the planet through a 100% sustainable sports model.

At a time when awareness of the effects of global warming is increasingly present in our daily lives, Forest Green Rovers demonstrates that even in the world of sport it is possible to reconcile competitiveness and environmental responsibility. In a recent interview, the owner said: ‘People take their cue from football. They follow football teams and footballers. They influence the lives of billions of people. So, let’s use it for good‘ [5].

This team can therefore be an important source of inspiration for fans, players and sports institutions to try to adopt a more sustainable and conscious approach. Football, but also all other sports disciplines, can be more than just a spectacle, it must be a positive force to inspire the green transition.

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Cover- and preview image:  Football in the middle of a green meadow, Photo by AnnRos on Pixabay