Environmental Protection and Sustainability
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FIFA has, so far, taken largely symbolic steps toward making their operations more sustainable. For example, FIFA’s new headquarters, which it moved into in 2006, is a zero-emission building. [1] More meaningfully, FIFA has begun to incorporate environmental objectives into the bidding, planning, and execution of the World Cup and other competitions. It began in 2005, when the German local organizing committee launched the Green Goal environmental program for the 2006 World Cup, and expanded upon the project for the 2011 Women’s World Cup in Germany. For the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, FIFA invested EUR 400,000 in a project to offset 92,000 tons of CO2 emissions produced by the competition. The South African LOC also developed a Green Goal program which, according to FIFA.com, involved host cities, government departments, local environmentalists and the United Nations Environment Program. [2]
According to FIFA, environmental protection was considered for the first time in bidding agreements for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The bidders had to provide an assessment of the environmental impacts of staging the World Cup, compose an Environmental Advisory Board, and provide measurable objectives for water, waste, energy, transportation, procurement and climate change, among other information. [3] However, readers should take these claims with a grain of salt. In light of substantial allegations that members of FIFA’s executive committee accepted bribes to vote for Russia and Qatar, how much could these countries’ environmental proposals really factor into the selection process?
In the meantime, FIFA is working with the LOC for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil to ensure that environmental issues will be adequately addressed in the preparation and staging of the event. In a 2012 Activity Report, FIFA reported that it presented a sustainability strategy for the 2014 World Cup to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, and that it would invest USD $20 million in the implementation of the strategy. FIFA is also working to offset its carbon footprint. In a 2010 study, FIFA’s carbon footprint was estimated to be 48,488 tons of CO2 per year, 75 percent of which was attributed to air travel. In response, FIFA compensated all of its flights emissions through carbon mitigation projects. [4]
In a 2010 study, FIFA’s carbon footprint was estimated at 48, 488 tons of CO2-equivalent per year. FIFA has initiated carbon mitigation projects to offset its carbon footprint.
FIFA has jumped on the environmental bandwagon, but what it really needs to do is hold LOCs accountable and measure the outcomes of their programs. In his interview at Duke University, David Goldblatt noted that the International Olympic Committee has made environmentalism the third pillar of Olympism, and yet the 2004 Olympics in Athens were “the most disastrous environmental Olympics ever.” He continued, “It was completely clear from two, three years out from the staging of the games that Athens was going to meet none of its environmental criteria. For the IOC and FIFA in particular, if you’re going to lay down these criteria, then you’ve got to have the administrative, intellectual, capital staff and infrastructure to monitor, implement, and intervene.” Well said, Mr. Goldblatt.
How to cite this article: “FIFA Institutional Politics,” Written by Brittney Balser, Christina Malliris, Caitlin Moyles, and Maggie Lin (2013), World Cup 2014, Soccer Politics Blog, http://sites.duke.edu/wcwp (accessed on (date)).
Sources for more information
[1] “Environment.” FIFA.com. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/socialresponsibility/environmental.html
[2] “Environment.” FIFA.com. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/socialresponsibility/environmental.html
[3] “Environment.” FIFA.com. Web. 9 Dec. 2013. http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/socialresponsibility/environmental.html
[4] “Activity Report 2012,” p. 76. FIFA.com. 30 May 2013. Web. 8 Dec. 2013. http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/02/15/82/55/activityreport_e_2012_neutral.pdf
