The Hindu Business Line : FIFA World Cup goes carbon neutral

Eco conscious projects
The event leads to higher levels of GHG emission as thousands of spectators and players travel by air, and there is higher level of energy consumption
FIFA has decided to fund two clean technology projects in South Africa to offset those emissions

New Delhi , June 23

Latest in football World Cup — not only will it thrill, it would also not kill. It would in its own small way ensure that the ozone layer in the atmosphere — which stops harmful, disease causing rays of sun from reaching earth's surface — doesn't get depleted.

In a first initiative of its kind, FIFA has decided to make the World Cup a carbon neutral event by funding two clean technology projects in South Africa.

Simply put, the event is expected to generate several tonnes of green house gases (GHG), owing to higher energy consumption levels and air travel by thousands of spectators and players.

To offset the harmful GHGs generated during the event, FIFA has funded two projects in South Africa that are based on cleaner technologies, and would generate employment opportunities.

The Switzerland-based myclimate foundation has been awarded a tender by FIFA to offset the GHG emissions produced by the World Cup — making it carbon neutral, said a press statement.

The foundation has selected two clean development mechanism projects to offset emissions: a fuel-switching project in the Limpopo Province, and a biogas project in the Johannesburg area, South Africa.

By investing in a project that leads to positive avoidance of emissions (greater or equal to the amount of emissions generated by the event), organisers can offset the effects of the event on the world's climate - making it carbon neutral, the statement said.

The first project involves African Realty Trust, South Africa's largest producer and processor of citrus. The company would replace its existing coal-fired boilers - enabling them to burn sawdust from surrounding sawmills instead. Thus, the project will minimise waste, reduce GHG emissions and foster sustainable development in the area, it added.

The second project includes the recovery of methane emissions from a wastewater treatment plant in the Johannesburg area. The recovered methane, which otherwise would have polluted the atmosphere, is then used to generate electricity. Besides contributing to climate protection, the project creates jobs in a disadvantaged area.

The project will prevent at least 220,000 tonnes of GHG emissions over its 10-year lifetime, it added.