Oxford United signs up to UN's Sports for Climate Action Framework

Oxford United Football Club revealed it has signed the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework, pledging to halve its carbon emissions by 2030 and achieve net-zero by 2040.

It becomes the 13th English football club to sign the framework, which was launched in 2018 and has more than 250 signatories, including FIFA, UEFA, The FA, Formula 1 and BBC Sport.

READ MORE: Oxford United puts plans for new stadium to public scrutiny

It seeks to bring the global sports community in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement.

A major part of the club's net-zero commitment is its potential building of a new 16,000-capacity stadium at the Triangle in Kidlington, which would be one of the greenest in the UK.

"Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face, and football has an important role to play in tackling it," said Tim Williams, CEO of Oxford United.

"This is a club-wide commitment across all our operations and we have a clear strategy to ensure we become one of English football’s most environmentally friendly clubs.

"Central to our vision is our plan for our new stadium, which will have sustainability at its core. It will act as a blueprint for future design and transform how modern stadia operate with the future of our planet in mind," he added.

Last year, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet gave in principle consent to lease the triangle site in Kidlington as the club's new home. The club must apply to Cherwell district council for planning permission.

If constructed, the new stadium is set to include 3,000 sq m of solar panels to generate electricity and heat recovery solutions to maximise thermal efficiency.

The club said the stadium would also include drainage systems, rain storage and recycling solutions to re-use rainwater to improve biodiversity, while plans to enhance biodiversity on the land at the Triangle would achieve a significant net gain.