LALIGA strives for becoming greener
Last December, some Spanish media, published the following news to the astonishment and disbelief of the sports sector. In response, LALIGA proposes solutions and actions that respond to the main environmental challenges, with the creation of the Environmental Guideline.
The Catalan Minister for Climate Action, David Mascort announced questionable restrictions that would affect football pitches, public swimming pools and sports showers. The Minister proposed the compulsory closure of showers in Catalonia’s sports centers, due to the high-water usage. However, the sports sector takes a cautious view of the measures being studied by the Generalitat and considers that “the possibility of this happening is very remote”.
Nevertheless, LALIGA is aware that it has a huge responsibility in this area and therefore considers it necessary to implement an environmental plan that can respond to environmental risks and avoid the mentioned restrictions.
LALIGA’s essential purpose is to turn its organisation into a point of reference, moving from the why to the how, with concrete solutions, actions and tools that respond to the main environmental challenges, and transferring to clubs and sport in general the needs to preserve the planet, disseminating knowledge, promoting initiatives and activating environmental programs.
LALIGA’s Green Plan of Action – Environmental Guideline
In order to become more environmentally friendly, the Environmental Guideline has been created. The document contains examples of two Spanish clubs where one of them is monitoring the water supply and water needs of the pitches. Meanwhile, the other football club has its own underground water system, therefore it does not depend on the public water supply. The Spanish Circular Economy Strategy aligned with the EU Circular Economy Action Plan established multiple strategic guidelines and targets, one of them tackles the waste of water issue. However, the impact is low-moderate since it does not imply any legal obligations for clubs.
To strengthen the management of their infrastructures and events in a sustainable manner, LALIGA’s infrastructure departments are collaborating with the clubs’ facilities managers to establish significant guidelines. With the leadership of FUNDACION, the clubs are being encouraged to implement actions to raise awareness and sensitize society, giving answers to the clubs, which require support in causes such as desertification, the deterioration of coasts and seas, and the improvement of biodiversity, providing knowledge, implementing action plans and guiding the clubs to know the regulatory requirements that the public administration is voraciously requiring.
In short, under a management policy with specific action plans, applied to all clubs, with the support of public institutions and alliances with organisations linked to environmental management, is where LALIGA carries out a double action aimed at both integrating the guiding principles of environmental sustainability in the strategic plans of the clubs, as well as the cross-cutting awareness-raising in all areas of responsibility.
The action plans undertaken by LALIGA demand great efforts that require working with the 42 clubs affiliated to the organisation and a network of different actors and related sectors that work with or for the sports sector.
