Doha, November 18 (QNA) - As part of its strategy to host the first carbon-neutral edition of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, Qatar is establishing global standards in the field of environmental conservation, which will serve as a model in major international tournaments, in addition to building a sustainable legacy that will benefit future generations.
A carbon-neutral tournament means achieving a balance in the carbon emissions resulting from vehicles exhausts, energy-generating processes and ensuring that the percentage of carbon in the air does not increase in order to avoid the occurrence or exacerbation of many environmental problems such as global warming and climate change that may cause countless environmental disasters.
In its strategy to organize the first carbon-neutral edition, Qatar relies on the level of sustainability for stadiums according to different categories, including design, construction, energy and water use, as well as installing stations to measure air quality, gas emissions and dust in all World Cup stadiums.
The strategy included organizing a mechanism for sorting waste during the construction phase of the stadiums, to reduce the carbon footprint, which resulted in the recycling of about 80% of the waste resulting from the construction of the World Cup stadiums, as well as water conservation, waste and carbon emissions management, use of renewable energy whenever possible, environmental protection, and urban connectivity.
On its way to host the largest sporting event in the history of the Middle East and the Arab world, Qatar worked on making its mark in the field of renewable energy and focusing on any commitment or action in the field of reducing carbon emissions, on scientific basis and accurate research results in all infrastructure projects related to the tournament, in addition to the eight stadium projects designated to host the World Cup competitions.
While preparing for the race to organize the largest sporting event in the world, Qatar has succeeded in implementing many effective programs and plans to reduce carbon emissions that are harmful to health and the climate, and it received unparalleled local and international approval and support.
The FIFA Arab Cup hosted by Doha at the end of 2021, represented an ideal opportunity to improve preparations for hosting the World Cup, as the main features emerged in the field of sustainability and environmental protection, and work continued to build on and enhance them so that the World Cup would leave a sustainable legacy for future generations.
The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, the body responsible for delivering the infrastructure projects necessary for Qatar to host the World Cup, stresses that sustainability has been, from the beginning, a major focus of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, as it cooperated in January 2020, with the International Football Association (FIFA) to develop the Charter for Sustainable Resources for the World Cup, which sets out the minimum standards that suppliers and tournament sponsors must adhere to, in addition to adhering to strict environmental standards.
The Supreme Committee has pledged on many occasions to host a carbon-neutral edition of the World Cup, by applying best construction practices that will positively affect the climate legacy of Qatar and the region, design and build stadiums, training sites, and transportation infrastructure in accordance with sustainable building standards.
The eight FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadiums have received praise for their sustainable designs, how they are built, and their daily management. It also obtained the certificates of the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) from the Gulf Organization for Research and Development (GORD) of 5 stars and at least 4 stars for design, construction and facility management, in addition to golden certificates for its operations. (MORE)