(Reuters) - Hoffenheim have taken steps to go carbon neutral this season by offsetting "unavoidable CO2 emissions" through an initiative that plants trees in Uganda's Kikonda Forest, the Bundesliga club has said.
Hoffenheim will first offset 3,000 tonnes of CO2 in advance through to the end of the 2019-20 season, after which they will calculate the amount of carbon emitted and adjust the offset accordingly.
The club said in a statement on their website that they would also offset the carbon emissions from the journeys made by the visiting teams and match refereeing staff.
"In choosing to go carbon neutral we hope to educate both our fans and the general public, as well as draw attention to this issue which is of critical importance for all levels of our society," Hoffenheim's co-managing director Peter Goerlich said.
"I believe we can be proud of the fact that we are setting an example for both the Bundesliga and German football as a whole when it comes to climate protection."
Hoffenheim announced they would be selling 'climate tickets' for home games in 2019 which would give supporters the opportunity to contribute an additional payment to plant more trees in the Kikonda Forest.
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; editing by Ken Ferris)
