How is Liverpool Football Club using DAC & Carbon Credits?
The global football industry generates a significant carbon footprint, estimated at 64-66 million tonnes of CO₂e annually – equivalent to the whole of Austria’s output.
Tackling these huge emissions has to start somewhere and kicking off the climate fight is Liverpool Football Club (LFC) and 1PointFive.
LFC’s carbon credits
LFC and 1PointFive, the DAC focused subsidiary of energy giant Occidental (Oxy) are announcing a new collaboration.
- Direct Air Capture (DAC) is a technology that removes carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere and can be used for carbon storage or to create products, playing a vital role in achieving net zero emissions.
- DAC technologies use engineered systems to capture CO₂ from the air, unlike carbon capture which focuses on emissions from specific sources.
The collaboration will see a launch of products for the team’s fans that have had their carbon footprint addressed through the purchase of DAC-based carbon credits.
According to LFC, the new collaboration marks a significant step towards its efforts to reduce its environmental impact through The Red Way, its sustainability strategy launched by the club in 2021.
The Red Way’s key goals include reducing operational carbon emissions by 50% by 2030, reaching net zero by 2040 and achieving carbon neutrality from merchandising from 2030.
“Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do at the club,” says Ben Latty, Chief Commercial Officer at LFC.
“Through The Red Way, we are dedicated to reducing our carbon footprint and driving positive change for our people, planet and communities.
“Joining forces with 1PointFive allows us to explore innovative carbon-removal technologies, sharing knowledge, expertise and helping to advance our journey to halve all of our operational emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2040.”
Under the new collaboration, LFC will calculate total product emissions from manufacturing through distribution to a club site.
LFC will also purchase an equivalent quantity of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) credits from 1PointFive to subside the amount of carbon emissions produced.
All about carbon credits
DAC technology is listed by the International Energy Agency (IEA) as a key carbon removal option in the transition to a net zero energy system.
DAC extracts CO₂ directly from the atmosphere to be used as a raw material or permanently removed when combined with storage.
A climate change mitigation study by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggests that scenarios limiting warming to 1.5°C require CO₂ removal methods to scale to billions of tons annually in the coming decades – with DAC potentially playing a significant role.
1PointFive is currently developing a series of carbon removal and sequestration projects in the US, including STRATOS in Ector County, Texas.
Michael Avery, President and General Manager of 1PointFive, explains: “Our organisations have a shared mission of sustainability and by working together we can provide a model for how to use Direct Air Capture to address product emissions and empower consumers to make more carbon-conscious choices.”
The facility in Texas is expected to be the largest DAC facility in the world (to date) – designed to capture 500,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year when fully operational in mid 2025.
United Airlines Ventures (UAV) is also investing in DAC technology from Heirloom, securing 500,000 tons of carbon removal to support sustainable aviation.
This initiative aligns with UAV’s goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050 without relying on traditional carbon offsets.
DAC allows for permanent storage or use in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
By integrating carbon removal credits into its strategy, UAV is expanding its decarbonisation efforts alongside investments in SAF, hydrogen-electric engines and electric aircraft.
Across the pond, the EU is also operating carbon credit initiatives to enhance the race to net zero.
The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is a carbon pricing system for emissions-intensive imports, requiring EU companies to purchase CBAM certificates based on the carbon footprint of goods like steel, iron and aluminium.
This acts as a de facto carbon credit system, where importers must compensate for the embedded emissions in their products.
Companies that adopt carbon reduction strategies, such as renewable energy use or carbon capture, can lower their CBAM costs and potentially trade carbon credits in emerging markets.
Sustainability and The European Club Association (ECA)
The ECA is a key player when it comes to sustainable football, recently launching its first Sustainability Strategy.
The ECA embraces circular economy principles to minimise waste and maximise product life cycles in football operations – advocating for environmental preservation.
The ECA has outlined a five-step approach for successful integration of sustainability:
- Creating a dedicated sustainability structure or function
- Defining a vision aligning sustainability practices with good governance
- Assessing impacts, risks and opportunities to establish clear priorities and KPIs
- Publicising sustainability strategies through annual reports
- Adopting cross-functional initiatives for training and communication on sustainability principles
The ECA is prioritising sustainability as one of their eight key pillars for the upcoming strategic cycle and providing comprehensive sustainability training for their workforce and member clubs.
Charlie Marshall, ECA CEO, states, "At COP29, ECA acknowledges our responsibility to play an active role in combating the climate crisis,” says Charlie Marshall, CEO at ECA.
“We've recently published our first Sustainability Strategy and committed to reducing our carbon emissions by 30% per member by 2030. ECA’s real impact lies in our ability to support our members in implementing strategies to reduce their carbon footprints.
“This is why we are here today: to launch the Football Clubs Alliance for Climate. Through this alliance and our collaboration with the UNFCCC’s Sports for Climate Action initiative, we are committed to supporting our clubs every step of the way in their climate action journey.”
By launching sustainable strategies, the ECA aims to elevate European football's sustainability approach and motivate member clubs to develop their own strategies and take consistent, impactful actions – like LFC.
This initiative aligns with global frameworks such as UEFA's sustainability strategy, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the EU Green Deal.
As football clubs embrace carbon credits and climate strategies, the beautiful game is proving it can play a crucial role in the global race to net zero.
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