AFD

• I’m investigating the sustainability tactics of grassroots teams including Leicester Nirvana, Germany’s Eintracht Peitz and International Berlin.
• This will develop into a blueprint for teams wanting to transform a game which both contributes to, and is impacted by climate change.
• Football clubs have the potential to bring people together to tackle the climate crisis collectively and Green Football Weekend (3-5 February) is a time to kick off with eight simple ways improve your club’s sustainability credentials.

1. Recruit a captain

• They can create a sustainability checklist of things to do after matches and training like turning off the lights and taps, or putting the recycling out.
• Ideally, this person should report to a sustainability committee that involves managers and players.

2. Buy in bulk

• Buy recycled toilet paper, install LED lightbulbs that are more energy-efficient than conventional bulbs and wash team kits with biodegradable washing powder.
• As a big club, that can mean substantial business for the right sportswear brand if they commit to the necessary changes.

3. Park the bus

In recent emissions tests done at Leicester Nirvana, we found team and fan travel to be the one of the largest contributors to the club’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Where possible use a minibus or share cars to cut costs and reduce emissions when heading to training or games. Eintracht Peitz invested in a minibus for its team with club logos and sponsors emblazened on the side, so it’s hard to miss on match days.

4. Put more plants on plates

• Buy local produce where you can, but be mindful it’s important to consider what you eat rather than just where it is from].
• Follow the lead of Leicester Nirvana and encourage the use of reusable bottles for all players.

5. Green your club

• While most urban green spaces are not managed with nature in mind, lots of towns and cities make space for nature in innovative ways.
• By rewilding some of the green spaces beside the pitch, unused corners and verges can become a haven for wildlife.

6. Communicate creatively about climate

• Use resources from environmental charity Climate Outreach to get positive messages across in creative ways.
• Encourage coaches and players to sign up to Carbon Literacy training or take part in a fun Climate Fresk workshop.

7. Shout about your success

Lead by example and show others that there are alternative ways to run a football club. Encourage players to be advocates for the planet. Share what you are doing through social media and invite the local press to cover your stories.

8. Goals win games

Set clear targets for the coming season. To find inspiration and access free resources that outline key goals, join sustainable sports networks, such as the UN Football for the Goals, Pledgeball and De Montfort University’s Net Zero Football Project.
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• The Taskforce also intends to explore mechanisms for disseminating and analyzing this entity-level impact information to promote transparency and accountability.
• The Taskforce also obtains input from public development banks including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the French Agency for Development (AFD), and the United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), as well as from the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), members of the Global Investors for Sustainable Development Alliance (GISD), and Linklaters.
• Collaborating to provide suggested guidance on standardized impact metrics for development finance will allow entities to more clearly communicate their contribution towards the SDGs.
• We are working to support greater impact disclosures and ultimately attract more sustainable finance capital to emerging markets and developing countries.”

• Through the BESS Consortium, these first-mover countries are part of a collaborative effort to secure 5 gigawatts (GW) of BESS commitments by the end of 2024.
• In order to achieve the estimated 400 GW of renewable energy needed to alleviate energy poverty by 2030 and save a gigaton of CO2, 90 GW of storage capacity must be developed.
• Battery Storage Systems are a critical element to increasing the reliability of grids and accommodating the variable renewable energy sources that are needed to power economic development.
• The BESS Consortium is a multi-stakeholder partnership set up to ensure these BESS benefits transform energy systems across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

• With 79% of enrolled voters counted nationally, “no” has won the Voice referendum by a 60.7–39.3 margin.
• In Lingiari, where 40 of the population is Indigenous, “no” leads by a 56–44 margin.
• The large wins for “no” in Lingiari and other seats with high Indigenous populations are caused by non-Indigenous people in those seats voting heavily “no”.
• Most Labor seats have substantial support for right-wing parties, so this doesn’t mean “no” won Labor voters.
• Dutton and Thorpe are negatively perceived for reasons other than the Voice, and Thorpe was opposing the Voice from the left.

Labor improved in pre-referendum Newspoll as Dutton sank

• A Newspoll, conducted October 4–12 from a sample of 2,638, gave Labor a 54–46 lead, a one-point gain for Labor since October 3–6.
• Primary votes were 36% Labor (up two), 35% Coalition (down one), 12% Greens (steady), 6% One Nation (up one) and 11% for all Others (down two).

Essential poll: Albanese’s ratings steady, Dutton down

• Albanese’s ratings were steady since September at 46% approve, 43% disapprove (net +3), while Dutton’s net approval dropped two points to -7.
• Essential has a Voice question that had “no” ahead by 53–38, out from 49–43 in early October.

Victorian Resolve poll: Coalition gains but Labor still far ahead

• While Resolve doesn’t give a two party estimate until near elections, I estimate this poll would give Labor a 57–43 lead, a three-point gain for the Coalition since August.
• New Labor Premier Jacinta Allan had a 38–19 lead over Liberal leader John Pesutto as preferred premier from the October sample of 553.

Liberal conservative alliance to replace authoritarian party in Poland

I covered Sunday’s Polish election for The Poll Bludger. Poland does not have a major centre-left party. The authoritarian incumbent Law and Justice was defeated by a liberal conservative alliance. Strong results for the far-right AfD at German state elections and national polls were also covered.