The Wimbledon Championship has wrapped up for another year and we wanted to take a look at the different sustainability initiatives happening to help green-up the operations of the event. Okay… maybe we just wanted a reason to congratulate our Aussie winners Ash Barty (Women’s Singles Champion) and Dylan Alcott (Quad Wheelchair Singles Champion) on their triumphs… but still! So, we did some digging and found that the Wimbledon Championship is actually a signatory to the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Framework.

What is the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework?

The UN Sports for Climate Action Framework helps to support and guide sports organisations on their journey to achieving their climate change goals. Additionally, the framework encourages these organisations to take responsibility for their climate footprint. Furthermore, the International Olympic Committee are helping to lead the charge; inviting governing bodies, sports federations, leagues and clubs to join as part of its role in the framework! There are 2 objectives to this framework:

  • Firstly, achieving a clear path forward for the global sports community to combat climate change through commitments and partnerships that are related to measuring, reducing and reporting greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Secondly, using sport as a unifier to bring people together for climate action.

In addition to objectives, the framework works to 5 principles, which are:

  1. Undertake systematic efforts to promote greater environmental responsibility.
  2. Reduce overall climate impact.
  3. Educate on climate action.
  4. Promote sustainable and responsible consumption.
  5. Advocate for climate action through communication.

What are Wimbledon’s Commitments?

The Wimbledon Championship has outlined 4 overarching goals that it’s committed to achieving. The tournament is working towards:

  • Reducing emissions from its operations to net zero (no pun intended… or maybe?) by 2030.
  • Becoming a resource-efficient organisation by 2030.
  • Contributing to a net gain in biodiversity by 2030.
  • Using its influence to inspire wider action.

Just to give you an idea of the tournament’s influence; the 2021 Women’s Singles Wimbledon Final between Ash Barty and Karolina Pliskova had 1.985 million viewers on Channel 9 alone according to TV Blackbox! Of course, that’s just one channel in one country… but they’re huge numbers. Comparatively, the Men’s Singles Final of 2021’s Australian Open had over 1.5 million viewers on Channel 9. While this is a completely different competition, it still shows you the reach that tennis can have.

The Championship has started to make real progress in helping to achieve the commitments listed above, including:

  • Buying renewable electricity to power its operations.

  • Measuring and reporting its operational emissions.

  • Undergoing lighting upgrades with highly-efficient LED light installations.

  • Using electric lawnmowers, as well as other electric horticultural equipment around the grounds.

  • Offering returnable cups for cold drinks to help reduce single-use plastic waste.

  • Ensuring none of the venues’ day-to-day business or Championships waste goes to landfill.

  • Planning to generate renewable electricity on-site (presumably through solar panels).

This is just a small list of the actions that the Championship has taken, but you can check out the full list here if you’re keen to read on!

Wimbledon
Image Source: Wimbledon
Wimbledon
Image Source: Wimbledon

Are the Other Grand Slam Tournaments Doing Their Bit?

The short answer is yes! Roland-Garros and the US Open are also both signatories to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework and doing their bit. Additionally, the Australian Open has recently committed to the framework, though work to become more sustainable had already begun thanks to the City of Melbourne’s Climate Change Mitigation Strategy. This includes solar panel installations on National Tennis Centre venues, including:

  • Rod Laver Arena
  • John Cain Arena
  • Margaret Court Arena
  • Tennis HQ

So, if there’s anything else you’d like to see these tournaments doing, get in touch on social media and let us know! Finally, if you’re keen to help do your bit and make your home greener, get 3 free quotes and make the switch to solar.