When FIFA awarded World Cup 2022 to Qatar, it was only the beginning of a series of eyebrow-raising statements. But the biggest and most surprising of all of them was an announcement by the organisers that this would be a fully carbon-neutral event.
An announcement that was branded as greenwashing from day one.
One of the biggest critics of the Qatari’s claims is sport and geopolitics expert Simon Chadwick, who said recently:
“This is disingenuous of both the Qataris and FIFA. It’s window dressing. These claims have no foundation. They’re built on sand.“
Looking closer, he has a point:
A report by the Carbon Market Watch found that while FIFA calculated the carbon footprint of seven new stadiums, it underestimated carbon emissions by a factor of eight.
One stadium, Stadium 974, is built from 974 shipping containers which will be dismantled after the World Cu – a process that carries a carbon load not included in the FIFA calculations.
Qatar maintains the stadiums built for the tournament will remain in use after the event. This allows them to spread the emission footprint over several years.
There are 1,300 flights in and out of Qatar carrying fans, employees and teams daily during the tournament. And if that wasn’t enough, grass seed is also flown in to keep the pitches in pristine condition.
During the World Cup, the eight stadium pitches (and 136 practice pitches) are doused with 10,000 litres of water per day. Meanwhile, during the summer, this was 50,000 litres.
Qatar also has negligible surface and groundwater supplies, so it undergoes an energy-intensive desalination process before use – adding to carbon emissions substantially.
World Cup sponsor, QatarEnergy, is one of the largest purveyors of liquified natural gas. However, a report by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) states:
“Liquified natural gas is not a “bridge fuel” to renewable energy use. It stalls the transition to renewables when chosen over options such as wind or solar.”
FIFA says QatarEnergy is responsible for developing cleaner energy resources, but the NRDC claims otherwise.
FIFA’s sustainability claims rely heavily on carbon-offset schemes that allow for the purchase of carbon credits that pay for global environmental projects.
These are notorious for being ineffectual and can cause “carbon colonialism”. One such example is a carbon offset scheme in Uganda that disrupted over 8,000 people’s livelihoods through pollution and forced displacement.
Qatar and FIFA will likely declare it the first truly carbon-neutral World Cup. Still, the Carbon Market Watch believe it’s not possible:
“It’s impossible to have a carbon-neutral sporting event. And certainly not one that involves constructing major new infrastructure. Sporting events should aim to minimise their climate and environmental impact to become more sustainable without claiming carbon neutrality.”
So, will we ever know whether Qatar 2022 was carbon neutral?
Probably not.
FIFA and Qatar might get away with greenwashing, no matter how much evidence there is to the contrary, but if you think your business can do the same, think again.
Greenwashing has been attempted by some of the biggest names on the high street. And if they’ve been found out, you will be too.
With that in mind, what can you do to make sure you’re doing everything you can to reach net zero?
The best way to prove you’re doing everything you can to become a carbon-neutral business is with a Certified Sustainable accreditation.
And to gain one, you’ll need a Sustainability Impact Report (SIR).
Our SIR reports evaluate and measure your environmental impact, providing you with a comprehensive picture of where you are now and what you need to reach your sustainability goals.
