May 31 – FIFA and Qatar’s claims that the 2022 World Cup will be carbon neutral have been cast into doubt by a new report drafted by climate experts.
The host nation, the world’s largest producer of natural gas, pledged to host a carbon neutral tournament when it bid for the event.
Last September organisers detailed how they would deliver the first “carbon-neutral Fifa World Cup in the history of the event”.
They pointed to the compact nature of the tournament, use of renewable energy at the eight stadiums and use of solar power in the country during the World Cup, plus the fact that fans won’t need to fly from one match to the next in the tiny Gulf state.
But all these initiatives have been questioned by Carbon Market Watch whose report, authored by Gilles Dufrasne, claims the carbon neutrality claim “is simply not credible”.
“The emissions from this World Cup will be considerably higher than expected by the organisers, and the carbon credits being purchased to offset these emissions are unlikely to have a sufficiently positive impact on the climate,” the report stated.
Qatar’s tournament organisers dismissed the conclusions as speculative, saying emissions will be calculated using “best-in practice” methods after the tournament ends.
Unavoidable emissions “will be offset through investing in internationally recognized and certified carbon credits…(which) should be recognised, rather than criticised,” a spokesperson for the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, said in a statement.
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