Doha: Qatar has raised the bar in sustainability as it will deliver the mega sporting event FIFA World Cup 2022 in a sustainable manner. The country’s investment in green and climate smart infrastructure is also a positive step that will accelerate the pace of carbon neutrality, said an expert during an online event.
Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) recently organised an online event titled ‘How Qatar is Delivering the First Carbon-Neutral World Cup’ which explored Qatar’s journey as it gears to host the first carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup. Experts discussed the importance of carbon neutral World Cup and current practical efforts that Qatar is taking to deliver sustainable and transformational legacy in this sporting event worldwide.
Damilola S Olawuyi, Professor and UNESCO Chair on Environmental Law and Sustainable Development and Associate Dean of Research at the College of Law at HBKU said: “A carbon neutral World Cup ensures that it does not lead to increase in current levels of greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. Scientific studies show that the problem of climate change will create significant social, economic, and societal disruptions in many parts of the world. So, it is crucial that everything we do in all countries of the world must lead to eradicating or mitigating the problem of climate change.
“It is quite inspirational that Qatar has committed to ensure that this World Cup is going to be about carbon neutrality. Firstly, Qatar has released the comprehensive sustainability strategy that ensures the World Cup does not exacerbate environmental concerns. Secondly, to invest in green projects that will offset any remaining emissions which may arise and that way you are ensuring that greenhouse emissions do not increase during the World Cup and ensuring that you have invested significantly in the projects that will immediately neutralise those emissions,” he added.
Investment in green and climate smart infrastructure is a positive step that will accelerate the pace of carbon neutrality that the country is trying to achieve, said Olawuyi.
“Qatar has raised the bar when it comes to sustainability into the delivery of sporting events and four key areas are being priortised in Qatar including sustainable and green infrastructure, delivery of green jobs and procurements, the measurement of the emission level and tracking them, and raising awareness through sustainability and education,” he noted.
Responding to a query about the impact of the World Cup 2022 on local environment and sustainability, Dr. Danyel Reiche, Visiting Research Fellow at the Center for International and Regional Studies and Associate Professor at Georgetown University in Qatar said: “We have seen remarkable progress in environmentally friendly infrastructure namely the stadiums which all have sustainability certification. Also, the public transportation aims for becoming fully electric by 2030, so we will have many electric buses for the World Cup”.
He added: “A number of remarkable progresses has been made on the supply side as the World Cup sets new standards when it comes to sustainability of its infrastructure”.
Dr. Mohammed Ayoub, Senior Scientist at the Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute discussed the relationship between carbon neutrality and sustainability. “Carbon neutral is an element of sustainability and Qatar has moved towards more sustainable approach to the World Cup and is introducing additional elements of sustainability at the national level,” he said.
The main pledges that the FIFA and the State of Qatar - the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy has made are to raise awareness among key stakeholders who are delivering the World Cup both in terms of construction of stadiums and World Cup facilities as well as delivery and post-delivery of the World Cup. The three main elements are to measure, mitigate and offset carbon dioxide or greenhouse gas emissions associate with the delivery of World Cup, the officials reiterated.
