Key take-aways
- Europe’s leading national football teams competing in the Euro 2024 in Germany could cut their travel emissions by nearly 60% if they avoided flying.
- National teams from countries neighbouring Germany, where shifting from air to rail or road is possible and reasonable, can reduce their travel climate impact to go to their base camp by 94% to 98%.
- On average, all national teams can reduce their emissions by 95% for the group stage by shifting from air to rail or road.
- Over the month-long competition, elite footballers like Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe have a chance to inspire millions of people to choose train over plane – otherwise they will pollute seven to nine times more through their transport emissions alone than what the average person emits over a whole month.
National football teams should seize the opportunity of the EURO2024 to champion sustainable mobility choices and reduce their travel emissions. They should join the efforts of UEFA to reduce the tournament emissions.