Being a responsible member of world community, Qatar is ensuring adoption of environmentally-friendly practices in all development projects including those related to FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The mega sporting event set to be held next year will leave a powerful legacy in terms of sustainability.
According to a recently launched report, the stadium sites in Qatar collectively diverted 79% of solid waste from landfill through reuse and recycling practices. Ninety per cent of the waste generated at Al Janoub Stadium and 84% generated at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium was either reused or recycled. For the ongoing Ras Abu Aboud Stadium project, the share of waste diverted so far is around 95%.
The diverted waste from the four other stadiums ranges between 72% and 80%, it added. It was revealed in the report released by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) and Gulf Organisation for Research & Development (GORD) which outlines the sustainable waste management practices implemented at FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 stadium construction sites.
Qatar 2022 stadiums have implemented world-class waste management practices by ensuring proper waste segregation, sorting and storing; through facilities available on site, and by outsourcing authorised licensed waste subcontractors to handle and transfer different types of recyclable wastes from construction sites to their correct destinations.
Qatar’s efforts towards sustainability are not limited to recycling rather the country will deploy over 1,100 electric buses to transport spectators to different stadiums and back. Speaking at an event recently, Director of Tarsheed and Energy and Efficiency at Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa), Abdulaziz Ahmed Al Hammadi had said that about 700 electric vehicle charging stations will be set up to meet the demand for the electric buses. This is just one part of the efforts to make the Football World Cup a carbon-neutral event.
On a broader scale, Qatar’s National Development Strategy Goals 2018- 2022 include encouraging and supporting the private sector to pursue recycling projects for all types of wastes; devising a plan to manage solid waste which would emphasise country’ recycling strategy and handle hazardous waste and substances. Raising the percentage of the utilisation of recycled materials to 20 percent by the end of 2022 and recycling 15 percent of all generated waste by the end of 2022 are also part of strategy.
Recently, Qatar-based Global Carbon Council (GCC) has recently received full approval from the United Nation’s International Civil Aviation Organisations’ (ICAO) Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA).
