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More than 70 organisations sign 'Going for Green'

The Football Association, England Athletics and Paddle UK are among some of the big names to have signed up to our Going for Green Pledge.

8th July 2024

Over 70 organisations from across the sport and physical activity sector have already committed to becoming greener by signing our Going for Green pledge.

Now, we are urging every organisation to sign the pledge and commit to finding new ways to become greener in their work. 

Every signatory of the pledge agrees to: 

  • reduce energy and water usage 
  • champion walking, cycling and lift-sharing when travelling to activities  
  • drastically reducing reliance on single use plastics 
  • recycle waste and increase the reuse of sports equipment and kit  
  • boost activity to nurture nature and wildlife. 

Sport England and Pedal for Paris logos, featuring an illustration of two cyclists wearing helmets shaped like leaves and bikes whose stems are the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower. Text says 'Sign the Going for Green Pledge to tackle climate change and sustain grassroots sport for the next generation'

Our Chair, Chris Boardman, said: "From ferocious heatwaves becoming more frequent, making it hard for children to simply run around outside, to tens of thousands of grassroots football matches being cancelled every year due to severely flooded pitches, climate change is already impacting our ability to be active.

"In fact, 3 in 5 people in England are saying severe weather is now negatively affecting their sport and physical activity levels.

"Without action, we will lose even more opportunities to be active, to look after our health, to play with our friends, so we have a duty to act now to protect these things that we love.

"It’s fantastic to see the first 70 organisations step up and pledge their commitment to tacking this global threat. They are the pioneers of what must become a national movement.

"We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change, and the last generation that can do something about it; the status quo cannot be an option."

"It’s fantastic to see the first 70 organisations step up and pledge their commitment to tacking this global threat. They are the pioneers of what must become a national movement."

Chris Boardman CBE

Chair, Sport England

To collect more pledges and highlight some of the sporting world’s green innovators, Chris will lead an epic, eight-day bike ride from the home of cycling in Manchester to the French capital, where the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics are to be hosted.  

The self-propelled trip was christened Pedal for Paris to capture the zero emissions mode of travel and to acknowledge the 10-year anniversary of the signing of the Paris Climate accord. 

Setting out from the National Cycling Centre on 16 July, the team – which will include multiple Olympic medalist Dame Katherine Grainger, and a host of other guests – will cover 550 miles before arriving in Paris on 23 July. 

16 July: Manchester to Ashbourne 
17 July: Ashbourne to Loughborough 
18 July: Loughborough to Milton Keynes 
19 July: Milton Keynes to Bisham Abbey 
20 July: Bisham Abbey to St Pancras 
21 July: St Pancras to Dieppe, France 
22 July: Dieppe, France to Gisors, France 
23 July: Gisors, France to Paris, France

Map graphic of the Pedal for Paris 2024 cycle route, starting in Manchester on 16 July and visiting Ashbourne, Loughborough, Milton Keynes, Bisham Abbey, St Pancras, Dieppe and Gisors, before arriving in Paris on 23 July

Pedal for Paris follows the launch of our first-ever environmental and sustainability strategy, Every Move, which wwe s published earlier this year. The strategy, backed with £45 million of funding, will help clubs and organisations to take action.  

All 130 of our funded partners will be required to have a credible environmental strategy and delivery plan by March 2027 as a condition of funding.

Grassroots clubs and organisations can learn more about the funding available and how to apply.

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