Friday 9 June 2023

‘FIFA’s carbon-neutral claims at Qatar World Cup were false’

FIFA’s claims of carbon-neutrality at last year’s Qatar World Cup are false.

That’s the allegation made by the Swiss Commission for Fairness, which stated that the football federation was “not able to provide proof that the claims were accurate.”

Previous reports and research slammed the carbon-neutral claim, with an estimation the world’s first winter World Cup produced 1.5 million more tonnes of emissions than its predecessor in Russia.

The Swiss Commission said that it “advised FIFA to refrain from making unsubstantiated claims in the future. Particularly the claim that the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was climate or carbon-neutral.”

It investigated whether the recorded 3.63 million tonnes of carbon emissions had been offset as FIFA had stated and alleged that this had not been proven.

FIFA has responded by stating it will review the findings of the report and it has the right to appeal.

The football federation stated: “Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges of our time. FIFA is also fully aware of the impacts that mega-events have on the economy, the natural environment and on people and communities and has been making substantial efforts to tackle those impacts and at the same time, to use opportunities to maximise the positive effects of its most iconic tournament.”

The Swiss Commission’s ruling is not legally binding.