The LTA has today announced that it has joined the United Nations Sports for Climate Action Framework.

As the country’s attention is focused on the challenges of reducing carbon emissions and moving to a net-zero economy, the LTA is committed to working with the entire tennis community in Great Britain, and the wider tennis industry to help the sport contribute to delivering a greener, healthier future.

The UN Sports for Climate Action Framework aims to promote action on the climate in the sports sector through leadership, collaboration, and ambition, this includes measuring, reducing, and reporting greenhouse gas emissions, and using sport as means to drive climate awareness and action around the globe.

The initiative, a movement of sporting bodies, leagues and clubs across the world, commits members to setting a minimum target of 50% emissions by 2030 and net-zero emissions target by 2040.

We recognise the role that the LTA, and tennis in Britain, has to play in climate action, and are pleased to become a signatory to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework.

Supporting the British tennis community in a more sustainable future

The LTA will set out details and timings around its own plans for reducing carbon emissions, alongside measuring and reporting of its annual climate footprint and progress, in its forthcoming sustainability plan which will be published in early 2022.

As a signatory to the framework, the LTA also pledges to support and implement a set of principles, which are to: 

1. Undertake systematic efforts to promote greater environmental responsibility;
2. Reduce overall climate impact;
3. Educate for climate action;
4. Promote sustainable and responsible consumption;
5. Advocate for climate action through communication.

Further details of how the LTA will deliver against these commitments will be published in the forthcoming sustainability plan.  

The plan will focus on how the LTA can have a positive environmental impact, including reducing carbon emissions from its own operations and major events, and utilise resources more efficiently to reduce waste and energy usage.

The LTA also wants to support and work with the wider tennis community in taking steps to promote responsible consumption and reduce emissions, and has already begun consultation with venues on what support it could provide.

By working with tennis venues across the country to help them with simple and effective solutions to reduce their carbon footprint the LTA hopes to have an impact far beyond its own operations. 

Feedback from players, fans, coaches, volunteers, and anyone else with an interest in tennis is also welcome and will help inform the LTA’s plans. The LTA encourages input via the following online form.

Through the UN Framework, the LTA will also work with other sports bodies across the world to share best practice, look for areas of cooperation and agree approaches for monitoring and improvement.

Further details will be published in the LTA’s forthcoming sustainability plan and within that document the LTA will begin to report on key metrics to help monitor progress. 

Scott Lloyd, LTA Chief Executive, said: “We recognise the role that the LTA, and tennis in Britain, has to play in climate action, and are pleased to become a signatory to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework.

“Over the coming months we will be continuing to develop our sustainability plan, which will set out how we will take positive climate action through our own operations and events, but also how we will collaborate with our partners, and the wider tennis community.”