The 2010 South African World Cup will generate higher levels of carbon emissions than any other previous global football tournament, it has been reported.  The anticipated overall carbon footprint associated with next year’s event is 2.75 million tonnes – over twice that linked to the 2008 Beijing Olympics – and long-haul flights are forecast to be responsible for approximately 67 per cent of this.  Internal flights between venues will add an additional 18 per cent, United Nations officials announced at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference taking place between December 7th and 18th in Denmark.

The 2010 World Cup will involve the participation of 32 nations in all.  The UN has requested that all of them take steps to put their emissions back into balance – the first stage in the organisation’s assessment into how large-scale sporting events contribute to climate change.  Football is not alone in being scrutinised: cricket, too, is under the microscope. 

Football Emissions

To date, three of the participating countries – Uruguay, Serbia and Korea – have pledged to invest in so-called “football offsets”, while the remainder – England among them – are understood to be thinking about implementing football emissions strategies.  However, on the evening of December 7th, a government representative stated: “We have spoken to the office of [Football Association chairman] Lord Triesman and they have confirmed that the FA always offsets its flights.”

World Cup Carbon Footprint

United Nations officials have roughly quantified how football fans might contribute to the overall World Cup carbon footprint, too.  For example, a 12,700-strong English supporters force travelling between the UK and South Africa would journey a combined distance of 232 million kilometres.  In so doing, they would generate in excess of 53,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.  To offset these would cost a shade above $1 million – equivalent to approximately £25 a flight. 

Speaking at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, Achim Steiner - Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – explained that the initiative was not aimed at discouraging fan participation in the 2010 World Cup.  “A World Cup without fans would be a very sad day indeed”, Steiner stated.  “But every airline today offers a way of offsetting.

“You can make yourself part of the solution, then you won't be part of the problem.”

See also:

Winter Olympics in Carbon Neutral Pledge