EUROPEAN PROJECTS
Football for climate justice
Real Betis Balompié Foundation joins “Football For Climate Justice” to lead the fight against climate change in European football
The Real Betis Balompié Foundation, faithful to its commitment to sustainability and social responsibility, has joined Football For Climate Justice, an innovative project funded by the European Commission through the Erasmus Sport programme.
This initiative brings together European football clubs, associations and researchers with the aim of involving the world of football in the prevention of climate change, promoting concrete environmental actions that contribute to the fulfilment of Sustainable Development Goal 13 (SDG 13): Climate Action.
This week, the project held a seminar at the headquarters of one of the participating clubs, the Brugge Club, where the commitment of sports entities to climate justice was highlighted.
Together with the Real Betis Balompié Foundation, the LaLiga Foundation, Ferencvárosi Torna Club, Werder Bremen, FC St.
Pauli, FC Twente, Bohemian FC and the EFDN Foundation.
Actions for a More Sustainable Football
Football For Climate Justice focuses on analysing and developing the activities that European football clubs, leagues and associations can carry out to promote sustainable practices and lead the fight for climate justice.
Among its first actions, methodological tools and practical application guides are being developed for sports foundations, based on the situation analysis and good practices of the participating organizations.
One of the first initiatives launched within the project has been a direct consultation with Real Betis fans, inviting them to share their global vision of the club’s environmental commitment and to propose measures to improve in this area.
This participatory approach not only strengthens the bond with followers, but also fosters greater awareness of the need to adopt sustainable behaviors.
The project was launched with a video starring players and representatives of all the clubs involved, with Borja Iglesias as spokesman for Real Betis, showing the commitment of the green and white team to this cause.
One More Step Within the Forever Green Program
Football For Climate Justice is fully integrated into Forever Green, Real Betis Balompié’s environmental programme that harnesses the power of sport to move towards environmental sustainability.
This programme seeks to use the football platform to make a positive impact, inspiring millions of fans to adopt more sustainable practices and actively contribute to the fight against climate change.
With its participation in Football For Climate Justice, the Real Betis Foundation reinforces its leadership in the field of sustainability, working together with other European clubs to promote greener football committed to climate justice.
Joining Forces for a Sustainable Future
The Real Betis Balompié Foundation will continue to boost its role as an agent of change in the fight against climate change, collaborating with other European clubs and associations to develop innovative initiatives that raise awareness and promote sustainable practices in the world of football.
We believe in the power of sport as a transformative tool for a fairer future that respects our planet.
Join us and be part of the change towards greener and more sustainable football!
Planet Goals
Real Betis Balompié Foundation joins “Planet Goals”: Commitment to Sustainability and Inclusion in European Football
The Real Betis Balompié Foundation takes another step forward in its commitment to sustainability and social inclusion by joining Planet Goals, an innovative European project whose objective is to integrate sustainable practices and policies in football-related entities, promoting a transition towards climate neutrality.
This ambitious project seeks not only to improve the skills of professionals in the sector, but also to promote healthy lifestyles and participation in physical activity for everyone, regardless of their origin or social situation.
Planet Goals is a collaborative initiative that brings together a number of international entities, including Organization Earth, Eleven Campaign, Fare, Healthlife Academy, Psapp, and the University of Cassino & Southern Lazio, who will work together to transform football into a tool for positive change for the planet and society.
Planet Goals Project Objectives
To improve the professional skills of the participants, providing them with tools and knowledge so that their organisations adopt sustainable practices, increase awareness of climate change and become benchmarks in environmental management within the football field.
Encourage learning and dissemination of good practices through innovative distance learning tools that address both environmental and social sustainability.
Raise awareness of the need to take urgent climate action, involving fans and local communities in adopting sustainable and conscious habits.
Promote social inclusion and participation in football activities for all, regardless of their background or social background, underlining the importance of an active and healthy lifestyle.
Promote “green” behaviour at the community level, promoting both individual and collective measures that favour sustainability, social inclusion, and the adoption of healthy lifestyles.
Real Betis Balompié Foundation: An Ongoing Commitment to Sustainability and Inclusion
Through its participation in Planet Goals, the Real Betis Balompié Foundation reaffirms its commitment to sustainability, joining a growing list of projects co-financed by the European Union that seek to generate a positive social impact.
Initiatives such as Sidfoot, Community Champions, Diversity Wins, Walking Football, Climate For Justice, Free Kicks, Planet Ball, and Nobody Offside reflect our ongoing commitment to inclusion, child well-being, and the fight against climate change.
At the Real Betis Balompié Foundation, we strongly believe in the power of sport as a catalyst for meaningful change in our communities.
With projects like Planet Goals, we take a step forward on our path to a more sustainable, inclusive, and healthy future for all.
A Green, Inclusive and Healthy Future
We will continue to work to integrate sustainable practices at all levels of sport, increasing awareness of the importance of climate action and fostering an inclusive and healthy culture in all our activities.
Join us on this journey to a greener and more responsible future!
Football for climate justice
We are launching Planet Ball: Football for the Environment!
At Forever Green, we believe that sport can be a powerful tool for change, and our new project **Planet Ball** is here to prove it.
Inspired by the words of the United Nations, which considers sport as a key resource to promote sustainable development, Planet Ball unites football and climate action like never before.
The project, launched on January 18, 2024 in Brussels, seeks to reconcile the world’s most popular sport with sustainable development.
Although football is an incredible platform for learning and sharing values, its environmental impact remains a challenge that we must address.
In Europe there are already efforts to make football more sustainable, but we need these behaviours to be extended to all actors, including amateur football clubs.
What is Planet Ball?
Planet Ball is a pan-European project involving 8 partners in 7 countries, all working together to strengthen the role of sport in the fight against climate change.
These partners include associations such as Futbol Mas in France and Organization Earth in Greece, as well as two European football federations and two European football clubs, along with the Real Betis Balompié Foundation in Spain and Sport and Citizenship.
Young people as ambassadors of change
Planet Ball is committed to young people.
We know that many young Europeans are already committed to sustainability, and this project gives them the tools to lead change in the world of football.
Through training sessions and events, four groups of twenty young people from Finland, Estonia, Romania and Turkey will learn how to adopt eco-responsible behaviours in their daily football activities.
These young people will become ambassadors for the environment, inspiring their clubs and communities to follow suit.
Tomorrow’s football starts today
Planet Ball empowers young people to take action today and secure a sustainable future for football.
With this project, we want these young footballers to grow up aware of the importance of playing in an environmentally responsible way.
Because the future of European football is in your hands!
Sport Eye
“Empowering Your Sport Club, Children and Youth for the Environment in the Mediterranean Region (SportEYE)” is a transnational and multisectoral cooperation initiative, co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ programme.
This project brings together partners from the Olympic Movement, Sport for Development, academia and civil society, with the aim of activating and mobilising local communities to improve the governance and impact of sports clubs on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators from a holistic perspective.
To achieve this, we will incorporate a multilateral curriculum that will reach both management and training personnel, as well as children and young people.
Why SportEYE?
The SportEYE project has been designed under the horizontal priority of “Environment and the fight against climate change” of the Erasmus+ Programme, with a special focus on “Promoting education in and through sport”.
It focuses on supporting skills development in sport and environmental sustainability, with a specific focus on SDGs 4, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17.
Project objectives Focused on the Mediterranean region of Europe, SportEYE seeks to improve the governance and impact capacity of sports clubs on SDG indicators through a holistic approach.
To this end, we will implement a multi-stakeholder curriculum that will cover everything from management and training staff to children and young people.
Specific objectives:
1️⃣ Conduct research on the current state of policies, rules, strategies, measures, experiences and initiatives to promote knowledge and adoption of the SDGs by sports organisations.
2️⃣ Create and implement an innovative educational package with specific strategies and practical measures to improve the social and environmental impact of sports clubs in their local communities.
3️⃣ Test in the field and measure the progress of the participants and the social and environmental impact achieved in their local communities thanks to the training received.
4️⃣ Design and launch an online collaborative platform to foster networking between people, organisations and experts committed to the SDGs.
5️⃣ Develop policy recommendations for the effective adoption of the SDGs by sports organisations.
6️⃣ Contribute to cooperation between sports bodies, public authorities, educational institutions and sports clubs to promote positive social and environmental impact on local communities in the Mediterranean region.
7️⃣ Guarantee the quality of the implementation of the project and its results.
8️⃣ Disseminate information on the activities implemented and the results obtained.
9️⃣ Ensure the sustainability of the project’s results.
🔍 Main activities The dissemination and exploitation of results are an integral part of the SportEYE project throughout its lifetime and beyond.
Our goal is to strategically structure these activities to maximize the reach and visibility of the project, ensure its sustainability, and encourage the adoption of its results by all stakeholders.
📢 Get ready to hear more about SportEYE through our website, social media, printed materials and public events!
We want this project to go far and generate a positive impact that lasts over time.
Let’s join the change for a more sustainable sport in the Mediterranean!
Football for climate justice
At Forevergreen, we strongly believe in the power of sport to drive a sustainable future.
This is why Real Betis Balompié has joined the innovative “Free Kicks” initiative.
This collaboration aims to transform football in alignment with the objectives of the European Green Deal and the New Circular Economy Action Plan.
What is Free Kicks?
This initiative is a pioneer in the search for and implementation of advanced environmental management practices and sustainable organisational models in football associations and professional clubs.
By promoting environmentally friendly behaviours within the world of football, the initiative aims to make the sport a leader in sustainability.
How will it be carried out?
The Free Kicks project is based on three key tasks:
Needs Assessment: Identify the environmental priorities and sustainability needs of the participating football organisations.
Improving Environmental Governance: Optimizing environmental management within the supply chain of these organizations.
Calculation of the Environmental Footprint: Measure the environmental impact of three football organisations using the European Commission’s PEF or OEF methodological standards through a life cycle analysis.
Thanks to these efforts, each football organisation, with the support of the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies (SSSA) and the European Club Association (ECA), will develop its own Environmental Improvement Plan.
The Free Kicks project is coordinated by SSSA and apart from the Real Betis Balompié Foundation it has the collaboration of important partners such as FC Porto, Malmö FF, Racing Club, the Romanian Football Federation, the ECA and Sport Positive.
In addition, in the 2018-19 season they helped the Real Betis Balompié Foundation by developing a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) report on the Club.
This analysis, based on the international standard ISO 14040/14044, assesses the environmental footprint of all stages of the life cycle of a football match in the club’s 2018-19 season.
This report is crucial for identifying “environmental hotspots” and proposing specific improvements, such as increasing the use of public transport for fans.
You can learn about the conclusions of the report by visiting the link at the end of the article.
During the 30-month duration of the project, from February 2023 to August 2025, Free Kicks partners will share progress and learnings through awareness events, regular reports, conferences, podcasts, social media, and other media.
Sport Positive, as a communication and outreach partner, will be responsible for ensuring that the lessons learned are widely shared in the world of football and sport.
At Forevergreen and with the Free Kicks initiative, we are making history in sustainable sport.
Together, we can drive meaningful change towards a greener and more responsible future.
Visit the Free Kicks website to learn more about this exciting initiative and how you can be part of the change.
Let’s make football a leading sport in environmental sustainability!