Manchester United, the world-famous UK soccer club, plans to offset carbon emissions related to air travel by players and staff during its pre-season tour in the USA, corresponding to a total 450 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e), by investing in renewable wind energy.
Man United is working with Carbon Neutral, a protocol created and managed by Climate Impact Partners, to compensate for CO2e during the two-week pre-season camp, thus extending their partnership for the second consecutive year, the club said in a statement Thursday.
The club has purchased carbon credits that will be used for the Crow Lake Wind project in South Dakota, which hosts 108 turbines providing renewable energy to 129,000 homes. The project is expected to offset about 432,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per year.
“We are delighted to be back in the United States for the first time in five years,” Man United’s COO, Collette Roche, said, adding that “we recognize the responsibility we have in mitigating the environmental impact of our travel”.
In addition to the renewable wind energy investment in the USA, the club will also collaborate with Trees4Travel to retrospectively compensate for carbon emissions from travel during the 2022/23 domestic season.
The partners will plant a total of 1,250 trees, each backed by United Nations-certified carbon credits, known as certified emission reductions (CERs), thereby offsetting some 205 tons of CO2e.
Furthermore, Man United said that it is investing in reforestation projects in developing countries, helping restore ecosystems and biodiversity, and supporting local communities in Kenya.
With 15 consecutive years of offsetting its carbon emissions, the club has become the first UK sports organization to get Carbon Trust Standard certification for its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint, according to the statement.