Environmental sustainability has been at the centre of Qatar’s development plans including the Qatar National Vision 2030 and was also a key point in the country’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Environmental sustainability has been a main features of the country’s work over the past 12 years as it built mega stadiums and infrastructure for the just-concluded World Cup. Qatar had set an ambitious target of delivering a carbon-neutral tournament by offsetting all greenhouse gas emissions, while advancing low-carbon solutions.
The World Cup sustainability plans included building water and energy-efficient stadiums and other infrastructure using recycled materials while also minimising the impact on nature from construction work. While Qatar built eye-catching mega stadiums, some from scratch, it also created huge green spaces planting tens of thousands of plants and shrubs around these arenas.
As part of the country’s plans to host a carbon-neutral World Cup, the Ministry of Municipality had launched an ambition plan to recycle or reuse all the waste generated at World Cup venues. The Ministry has been successful in achieving its ‘zero waste to landfill’ goal, with 72 percent of total waste generated at World Cup venues including stadiums and associated fan sites having been segregated for recycling. Minister of Municipality H E Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Subaie said about 80,000 tonnes of waste was collected from World Cup venues. The trash has been segregated into organic, plastic, metal, electronic and cardboard. The remaining waste is sent to the Ministry of Municipality’s Domestic Solid Waste Management Centre for further treatment in a waste-to-energy plant.
Recent years have witnessed a huge boom in the number of public parks in the country, which have increased to 148 in 2022, from only 56 in 2010. Green spaces in the country have also increased to more than 43 million square metres from about 2.5 million square metres in 2010.
In recognition of Qatar’s sustainable development, the World Health Organization has awarded all Qatari cities the ‘healthy city’ status. Qatar is the first country in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to have all its cities obtain this title due to its great efforts in applying the environmental, health and urban sustainability standards.
Qatar’s efforts to host a carbon-neutral World Cup will go a long way in aiding global efforts to address climate change. Qatar 2022 has also set a high bar for future sporting events on the environmental front.
