Wimbledon is taking climate action

The 2023 edition of Wimbledon was action-packed, with Markéta Vondroušová becoming the first unseeded woman to win the tournament and Carlos Alcaraz winning his second Grand Slam title after defeating Novak Djokovic in a 5-set thriller.

Along with the three other Grand Slams, Wimbledon has committed to the UN Sport for Climate Action Framework. As part of this commitment, they aim to reduce their emissions by 50% by 2030 and reach Net Zero by 2040.

Wimbledon’s organiser, the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC) has been working to reduce its environmental impact since 2009. The oldest tennis tournament in the world is proactively working to future-proof itself.

Making Net Zero operational emissions a reality

As part of its decarbonisation roadmap, Wimbledon has made a 2030 Net Zero commitment for the emissions arising from its operations.

As part of their strategy, they intend to decarbonise energy production, increase their energy efficiency and reduce transportation emissions.

For the 2022-2023 season, the AELTC has calculated that its scope 1 and 2 emissions amount to 5,477 tCO2e. This includes gas combustion, fuel use, and electricity purchasing.

While the tournament already sources renewable electricity and produces some with onsite solar panels, it plans to further develop its renewable energy generation capabilities.

To reduce its gas emissions, the club is targeting to remove all gas equipment from its kitchens by 2027. They also use electric lawnmowers and horticulture equipment to reduce fuel consumption.

Beyond its operations, Wimbledon is planning to increase the accuracy of its scope 3 emissions and extend its decarbonisation initiatives to its supply chain.

Where it cannot yet achieve emission reductions, such as when players travel to the tournament by plane, Wimbledon is investing in carbon compensation initiatives.

Using Wimbledon’s platform to drive attention to climate change

Beyond what it can control, Wimbledon is using its reach to raise awareness among tennis fans about climate change and inspire other sporting events to take action.

In 2023, it attracted more than 500,000 visitors and was watched by millions. With such an audience, the potential impact of their messaging is immense.

Wimbledon can incentivize low-carbon transportation to the grounds and encourage fans to take climate action in their daily lives.

“We recognise the role we can play as a global sporting event in encouraging more sustainable behaviour and each year we build on making this a seamless part of our guests’ experience.”

Hattie Park, Wimbledon’s Sustainability Manager

On day four of the 2023 championship, Wimbledon hosted a panel discussion to explore how sports and athletes can create waves of climate action.

Additionally, it has brought environmental sustainability and climate change into the learning programs it delivers through its museum and foundation.

By stepping up to the challenge, Wimbledon is demonstrating to sports organisations how to implement science-backed decarbonisation initiatives and use their platform to drive climate action.