Tottenham Hotspur takes action for nature and biodiversity
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club signs the Sports for Nature Framework
Tottenham Hotspur recently qualified for the quarterfinals of the Europa League, and the club is also making waves off the pitch. The Spurs made history by becoming the first Premier League club to join the UN-backed Sports for Nature Framework.
Sports for Nature is a joint initiative that enables sports organisations, ranging from national and international sports federations to leagues and clubs, to champion nature and play a role in its protection and restoration. When organisations sign up, they commit to:
Protecting nature and avoiding damage to natural habitats and species
Restoring and regenerating nature wherever possible
Understanding and reducing risks to nature in supply chains
Educating and inspiring positive action for nature across and beyond sports
The initiative already has 103 signatories, including 31 International Federations, such as World Rugby, and 16 National Olympic Committees. Tottenham Hotspur has followed in the footsteps of English club Forest Green Rovers and paved the way for other Premier League clubs to sign.
Taking action for nature goes hand in hand with decarbonisation
This isn’t Tottenham Hotspur’s first environmental sustainability commitment, as the club signed the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework in 2021. By doing so, the Spurs committed to reaching Net Zero emissions by 2040 and reducing their emissions by 50% by 2030.
“We have long been recognised as the Premier League’s greenest club for the work we have done to minimise carbon emissions across our operations – it is now time for us to make a firm commitment to nature and protecting the ecosystems we cannot live without.”
Donna-Maria Cullen, Executive Director at Tottenham Hotspur
The club's signing of both frameworks is an important reminder of the role that nature and biodiversity can play in mitigating the worst effects of climate change, highlighting the importance of avoiding “carbon tunnel vision” when approaching environmental sustainability.
In fact, it’s estimated that nature-based solutions, focused on the protection, sustainable management, and restoration of ecosystems, could provide 37% of the climate change mitigation required to meet the 2030 goal of keeping global warming under 2°C.
Premier League football clubs can protect and promote biodiversity
To promote and enhance biodiversity within its grounds, Tottenham Hotspur FC has planted hundreds of trees, established two wildlife ponds and built 540 bat houses and 25 bug hotels within its training centre in Enfield.
As part of its efforts for nature, the club has also implemented an award-winning biodiversity monitoring system to track and improve biodiversity levels. It gathers data on pollinator behaviours and leverages sound technology to monitor bird species at its training facility.
“Becoming the first signatory in the Premier League of the Sports for Nature Framework means we can now demonstrate clear action across all three pillars of the UN’s definition of sustainability set out at COP29 – People, Climate and Nature.”
Donna-Maria Cullen, Executive Director at Tottenham Hotspur
With a Premier League club now amongst the ranks of signatories to the Sports for Nature Framework, we can only hope this will inspire other sports organisations to follow suit, drive nature-positive actions and promote a holistic approach to environmental sustainability.
