Liverpool FC Marks Major Milestone with an 89% Cut in Scope 1 Emissions

Liverpool Football Club isn’t just chasing trophies—it’s chasing down emissions, too. In a significant update to its environmental progress, the Premier League giant announced that it has reduced its Scope 1 emissions directly from its own operations by a remarkable 89% since the 2019/20 season.

That’s not all. The Club has also achieved a 17% reduction in Scope 3 emissions, encompassing indirect sources such as travel, supply chain, and construction, which are typically the most challenging to address. These figures were shared in its latest annual sustainability report, aligning with ambitions in its strategy, The Red Way.

Liverpool’s long-term climate target? A 50% absolute emissions reduction across all scopes by 2030, compared to its 2019/20 baseline. So far, it has already chalked up a 15% overall reduction, with Scope 1 progress leading the way.

A series of strategic energy decisions is driving this dramatic decline in operational emissions: the Club has transitioned to a green gas tariff for natural gas and implemented a combination of new technologies and behavioral efficiency measures to reduce its energy use.

Scope 2 emissions? Essentially zero, for years now. In the 2023/24 season, 96% of the Club’s electricity came from renewable or low-carbon sources, including on-site solar arrays and green energy purchases.

All residual emissions across Scope 1, 2, and 3 are being fully offset, a proactive move as the Club marches toward net zero.

Scope 3 is notoriously challenging for any business, and for Liverpool FC, it accounts for more than 80% of its total carbon footprint. But the Club isn’t shying away. Instead, it's taking bold, deliberate steps.

In the 2023/24 season, it introduced a new sustainable travel policy, developed in collaboration with teams across medical, travel, and impact departments. Domestic charter flights? They are replaced mainly by biofuel-powered buses and ground transportation. In cases where flying remains unavoidable, the Club is now using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) credits through a ‘Book and Claim’ model, meaning the carbon-saving fuel enters the system, even if not burned directly by the team.

The result? Domestic team flights made up just 0.1% of total emissions last season.

While flights grab headlines, the bulk of Scope 3 emissions came from two surprising sources:

• Anfield Road Stand redevelopment (a massive 22% of the footprint) and

• Fan travel contributed nearly 20%.

Rishi Jain, the Club’s director of impact, said: “The Red Way is more than a strategy – it’s a key priority for the club and is embedded into every aspect of the business.

“We have set ambitious targets, including achieving net zero by 2040, and we understand that we are on a journey and there is still much more to do. This report is a celebration of how far we’ve come and confirms our commitment to go even further.”