Soccer-Come on you Greens - Spurs, Liverpool top eco-friendly table

Most Premier League clubs have stepped up their efforts. Southampton were third in the table after tree-planting initiatives and local beach cleans while they and champions Manchester City have targeted net zero carbon emission by 2030.

Tottenham Hotspur will join the UN Race to Zero and have committed to halving their carbon emissions by 2030, the club said after they and Liverpool were named the Premier League's greenest clubs on Wednesday. They topped Sports Positive's 2021 Green League, published by the BBC, which rates each of England's top-flight clubs in measures they are taking to combat the threat of climate change.

Spurs and Liverpool scored 23 out of 24 points thanks to measures like reducing single-use plastic and landfill waste and using locally-sourced food produce. Tottenham players travel to matches on coaches powered by biofuel and a vegetable garden and bat-friendly barn have been installed at their training ground.

"To have once again been named at the top of the Sports Positive League Table is fantastic recognition for the work that continues to be delivered across our organization -- now we must challenge ourselves to go further," Tottenham Executive Director Donna-Maria Cullen said. Liverpool's "Red Way" initiative has led to 900 trees being planted at their training ground and academy sites, as well as wildflower areas, bird boxes, and a hedgehog house.

The sports industry has increasingly come under the spotlight for its environmental impact with the UN launching a Sports for Climate Action Framework at COP24 in 2017. Most Premier League clubs have stepped up their efforts.

Southampton was third in the table after tree-planting initiatives and local beach clean while they and champions Manchester City have targeted net-zero carbon emission by 2030. Newcastle United, third-bottom of the Premier League table, propped up the Green League standings.

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