The reason for the new project was the desire to create even more attention and awareness for the topic among the Bundesliga clubs. Thus, together with the climate protection organisation myclimate, the CO2e emissions of the arrival and departure of all visiting teams were recorded and calculated. For clubs that already record and offset this item in their CO2e balance sheet, FSV also paid an additional climate donation in each case.
On the match days, the 05ER board presented those responsible for the guests with a certificate for the compensation or climate donation. This was also intended to move the topic higher up the agenda among the clubs' responsible persons. «As the first climate-neutral Bundesliga club, we are pioneers in the field of climate protection. But we are far from reaching our goal, trying to improve year after year and always coming up with new ideas on how we can support climate protection or to inspire other clubs and get them excited about joint actions», explains Commercial Director Jan Lehmann. «Even though we are competitors on the pitch, we work hand in hand for a common goal: to make a further, important contribution to the environment and thus also to future generations by offsetting the travel movements of our professional teams», Lehmann continues.
In total, almost 113 tonnes of CO2e were offset in the 2020/21 season through the new initiative. A climate donation was paid for about 27 tonnes of CO2e. This supports the high-quality myclimate project «Efficient cookers save habitat for last mountain gorillas» in Rwanda. Through the subsidised sale of energy-efficient cookers to families around the Volcanoes National Park in the north-west of Rwanda, it ensures less firewood consumption. This means less greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, less deforestation, more habitat for animals, more time and money, and improved health for women and girls in Rwanda.