File photo of Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium
Doha: Qatar with its determination to host carbon neutral FIFA World Cup in 2022 has taken a number of measures starting from building energy efficient stadiums to providing eco-friendly transportation and carbon offset initiative.
“All the venues of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 are eco-friendly as they are 30 percent energy and 40 percent water consumption efficient,” said Sustainability & Environment Senior Manager at Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC), Eng Bodour Al Meer.
Speaking on a Qatar Radio programme recently, she said that recycled materials have been used in building these stadiums. For example, Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium was built with 90 percent of recycled materials from the old stadium.
“Other stadiums were also built on the same pattern as 70 to 80 percent of stadiums were constructed from recycled materials, especially the foundations,” said Bodour.
She said that all projects related to hosting mega sporting event are designed in a way not to impact on coming generations such as environment, economy, social or human condition but they will be able to utilise them in future.
Explaining the sustainability drive to curb the carbon emissions through carbon offset initiative, Bodour said: “We can simply buy carbon credits to implement our projects, but we chose the most difficult option, which is to reduce carbon emissions because we are looking forward to leaving a valuable legacy in the country.”
However, she said, some carbon emissions cannot be avoided which required buying carbon credits through carbon offset system. “So we took a number of steps in this regard, including supporting the development of the local carbon fund and the Global Carbon Council to focus on developing projects with low carbon emissions and compensation of carbon emission locally and internationally,” said Bodour.
To support these projects, Eng Bodour Al Meer said: “We have developed methodologies to calculate the percentage of carbon emissions reduction. This initiative will contribute in raising carbon credits to reach to the required levels.”
To a question about eco-friendly transportation to curb carbon footprint, she said that since all stadiums are in close proximity they will contribute greatly in reducing the carbon emission caused by the domestic aviation compared to the previous FIFA World Cups.
“The cities have been connected with Doha Metro providing eco-friendly public transportation with low carbon emission,” said Bodour.
She said that metro stations are connected to seven out of eight stadiums directly with dedicated bus services.
“Now we are working to provide electric buses and trams. About 850 electric buses will be provided to ferry the fans during the mega sporting event,” said Bodour.
