As the FIFA World Cup to be held in Qatar beckons, FIFA has launched the Green Card which is aimed at mainstreaming sustainability into the world’s most beautiful game. FIFA president Gianni Infantino led the process of launching the Green Passport and has been joined in the campaign by the world’s greatest player – Edson Arantes Dos Nascimento, better known as Pele.
Sustainability is very essential in the world of football due to the potential environmental impacts associated with stadium construction, material usage, energy usage in stadiums, waste generation during matches and chemical usage in painting, cleaning and other ancillary activities. Therefore, the launch of the Green Card will ensure commitment in terms of environmental protection from the football stakeholders around the world.
The FIFA President reiterated that FIFA aims to deliver a carbon neutral World Cup to be held in Qatar in November and December 2022. Teams, fans and sponsors will have a role to play in ensuring that the World Cup is friendly to the planet.
Movement towards sustainable materials and green procurement is necessary, kit manufacturers for example have over the years greatly improved the sustainability of their football kits. Teams which use green colours should also encourage their fans to act responsibly and prevent damage to vegetation.
Amongst the host of stars who have lifted the Green Card there is the aforementioned Pele, Lothar Matthaus, Pierluigi Collina and Maxi Rodriguez.
Veteran coach Arsene Wenger raised the Green Card whilst imploring stakeholders to adopt resource efficiency and in particular water conservation.
The Senegal National team also endorsed the Green Card alongside the President, his Excellency Macky Sall.
This development should inspire other sporting disciplines to get serious on preserving the environment. Due to the power of sport to influence billions of people across the world, sporting associations can influence sustainable consumption and production patterns in different parts of the world. Due to the fact that the World Cup in Qatar will feature many fans to the level of over 2 million to grace Qatar, the green card becomes a relevant initiative to ensure that these fans adopt green living whilst following their favourite teams at the global extravaganza.
Consideration of greening football spans from the time stadiums are conceptualised. These stadiums must undergo Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA). The assessment should develop Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMP). The procurement of green materials can better enable football stadiums to be using environmentally friendly materials. Promoting waste recycling from waste generated from stadiums during matches is also inevitable in the 21st century.
Adopting renewable energy technologies such as solar energy is gaining momentum in many stadiums across the world as well as energy efficient lighting. The realities of climate change are now apparent to football stakeholders. If football does not play a part the impacts will continue to contribute to global warming. It is also key to realise that player safety can be compromised by climate change. In an attempt to address climate change, FIFA has launched a Climate Change Stadium.
Wherever you are in the world, please lift your green card and support the work by FIFA in greening football across the world.
