FIFA to offset all its operational carbon emissions through certified projects in Brazil

FIFA today announced the portfolio of carbon offsetting projects in Brazil that have been selected to reduce the footprint of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™. FIFA and the Local Organising Committee will offset all of the operational emissions directly under their control. This includes emissions resulting from the travel and accommodation of all staff, officials, teams, volunteers and guests as well as emissions resulting from venues, stadiums, offices and TV production.
In parallel, FIFA and the LOC launched a campaign last month calling on fans to participate in a contest, thereby offsetting the carbon emissions resulting from their travel to the event. In total, FIFA will compensate 331,000 tonnes of CO2 (251,000 of its own emissions and 80,000 from the fans who participated in the free contest) through four certified low-carbon development projects spread across Brazil.
Successful ticket applicants were invited to offset the emissions resulting from their travel to the tournament for free, no matter where in the world they were travelling from, and enter a prize draw to win two tickets for the FIFA World Cup™ final, including travel and accommodation. More than 17,000 ticket holders signed up in just over five days, registering 40,880 journeys to and from the 2014 FIFA World Cup. As a result, FIFA will offset 80,000 additional tonnes of CO2 and invite the winner of the contest and a companion of their choice to the 2014 FIFA World Cup final on 13 July.
“We are very happy with the outcome of this programme and campaign,” said Federico Addiechi, FIFA’s Head of Corporate Social Responsibility.
“FIFA and the LOC made the commitment to offset all of their own carbon emissions, but we also wanted to use the opportunity of the FIFA World Cup to engage with millions of people and raise awareness of the environmental impact of our journeys and the ways to mitigate it”. “Today, we want to say ‘thank you’ to the thousands of fans who have joined us in limiting the environmental impact of the FIFA World Cup™.”
The portfolio of low-carbon projects in Brazil was carefully selected together with non-profit carbon management programme BP Target Neutral. Each project went through a rigorous tender process and adheres to the standards set by the International Carbon Reduction and Offsetting Alliance (ICROA), with the final selection being made by an independent panel of environmental NGOs. Beyond the positive environmental impacts of these projects, they also have social and economic benefits for many local Brazilian communities.
"The projects selected by FIFA and BP Target Neutral to offset the carbon emissions from the 2014 FIFA World Cup™ in Brazil are all highly relevant to Brazil’s reality," said Suzana Kahn, President of the Scientific Committee of the Brazilian Panel on Climate Change.
"They address the need to improve climate awareness and understanding of how climate protection and development can support each other, as well as reducing carbon emissions in a credible way. The projects cover different sectors and regions of the country and a range of activities and therefore make an important contribution to climate mitigation. I hope that the success of this programme incentivizes other sporting associations to follow suit," said Kahn.
Among the initiatives supported is The Purus Project, which contributes to the preservation of 36,000 hectares of pristine rain forest from deforestation, as well as bio-mass brick manufacturing and energy production.
More information on the selected projects.
The FIFA World Cup™ is the largest individual sporting event in the world. Staging a tournament of this scale inevitably has an impact on the environment. Offsetting is one way of limiting this impact. It aims to balance the greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere in one place by removing, or preventing them, in another – resulting in a zero net effect.

Source: www.fifa.com