FIFA World Cup 2022 expedites achieving QNV 2030
- 4 years ago
During a webinar namely ‘Carbon Neutral World Cup 2022' that held recently, the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy’s (SC)Sustainability Director Eng. Bodour Al Meer said that the FIFA World Cup 2022 has expedited the Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030).
Al Meer highlighted that the World Cup is a catalyst for national development and plays a significant role in its sustainability strategy for 2022.
The webinar, which is organised by the US Chamber of Commerce’s US-Qatar Business Program in partnership with the Embassy of the State of Qatar in Washington DC, discussed the issues relating to climate change, Qatar 2022 sustainability infrastructure, and business opportunities for American organisations as Qatar diversifies its economy.
Some of the attendees for the webinar includes Charge d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Qatar, H E Ambassador Greta Holtz; Vice-President, Turkey, Middle East and North Africa Affairs in the International Division Khush Choksy; US Chamber of Commerce Vice-President, Middle East Affairs, Steve Lutes; and Global Market Director, Sports and Entertainment, Jacobs, Beau Waters.
“The World Cup is a tournament to crown the top men’s national football team, but in our case, it’s a lot more. We are using the tournament to expedite our development towards achieving our national vision (QNV 2030). We see this tournament as an opportunity to develop our country and showcase our local culture and traditions. With the WC in the Arab world for the first time, we see that it is an amazing opportunity to deliver a wonderful celebration of football, culture, and hospitality in a family-friendly environment,” Al Meer said.
According to Al Meer, sustainability strategies include environmental, social, human, economic, and governance. She stressed that the sustainability programme is derived from two key documents: the QNV 2030 — a blueprint for where the nation’s development is based and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The environmental pillar covers sustainable building, carbon-neutral, air quality, waste generation, and water. Al Meer said being a compact World Cup has helped limit carbon emission, and the stadiums are designed to reduce energy consumption to about 30-35%. Air quality stations would be installed at all stadiums, while the Ahmed bin Ali Stadium (Al Rayyan) is made of 80% recycled construction waste.
She further added that, “All of our stadiums have green building certification (design, construction management, and operations). The eight stadiums for the World Cup have amazing technology, and one is fully demountable, five are partially demountable, while all are green building certified.”
Al Meer also made note on Qatar’s first utility-scale solar plant. The energy from this plant in one month is enough to power all the world cup stadiums for one year. She also mentioned that the ‘Plant Million Tree’ initiative, food sustainability programmes, growth in the recycling industry, and the climate action platform as a measure to promote a carbon neutral tournament in 2022.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Greta Holtz said the US, which contributes 15% of the world’s carbon pollution, is committed to reducing that number. She also praised the 2020 Public-Private Partnership law, which provides a platform for US firms to expand and deepen their partnership with Qatar.
The US recently rejoined the international climate accord, and former Secretary of State John Kerry has been appointed the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.
Comments