Friday 05 June 2020, 13:33

FIFA celebrates World Environment Day

  • 5 June is World Environment Day

  • FIFA is committed to protecting the environment, its biodiversity and the climate

  • FIFA will measure and offset its unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions related to Qatar 2022

The foods we eat, the air we breathe, the water we drink and the climate that makes our planet habitable all come from nature. Each year, marine plants produce more than a half of our atmosphere's oxygen, and a mature tree cleans our air, absorbing carbon dioxide, releasing oxygen in exchange.

World Environment Day shines a light on the importance of nature for our livelihoods. Since 1974, it has been celebrated every year on 5 June: engaging governments, businesses, celebrities and citizens to focus their efforts on pressing environmental issues.

FIFA is committed to protecting the environment, its biodiversity and the climate, thereby contributing tangibly to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. As part of that commitment, FIFA will reduce its resource consumption, as well as consolidate and further improve its management of environmental risks, obligations and opportunities with the aim of mitigating any negative impacts on the environment.

Over the past decade, FIFA has continuously increased its requirements and expanded its programmes related to environmental protection covering issues such as climate change, waste management, recycling and sustainable construction.

In 2016, FIFA joined the UN Climate Change secretariat’s initiative Climate Neutral Now, becoming the first international sports organisation to do so. By joining the campaign, FIFA pledged to continue to strive to become greenhouse gas emission-neutral by the mid-21st century. FIFA have measured and offset the unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions related to the FIFA World Cups in Brazil and Russia. Those climate actions will continue also for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

“Our commitment to protecting our climate remains unwavering. We recognise the critical need for everyone to help implement the Paris Agreement and accelerate the change needed to reach greenhouse gas emission neutrality in the second half of the 21st century.”, said FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura.

You can learn more here about FIFA’s action on measuring and offsetting carbon emissions.

The joint FIFA World Cup™ Sustainability Strategy for Qatar 2022, can be found here.