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FIFA, the international governing body of football, says its 2022 men’s World Cup tournament taking place in Qatar will be climate neutral.
But, from a million fans flying in, to the eight air conditioned open-air stadiums under construction, to the docked cruise ships that will provide lodging, how can that be?
The climate change-focused podcast, How to Save a Planet, decided to check on these claims. And they learned that FIFA is using carbon offset credits to balance the emissions and climate impact associated with hosting the month-long event.
SEI Senior Scientist Derik Broekhoff breaks down some of the details, including the concept of additionality – or whether a carbon credit purchase actually adds any environmental benefit – and how we might reframe our thinking on carbon offsets.
