Ecobreves – BRAZIL: Football World Cup Will Emit 11 Million Tons of CO2

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct 8 2012 (IPS) - The Brazil 2014 Football World Cup will emit more than 11 million tons of carbon dioxide, according to a study conducted by the consulting firm Personal CO2 Cero. The calculations leading to this estimate considered the preparatory stage, including the construction and renovation of stadiums and infrastructure, the international travel involved, and the sporting event itself.

To capture this amount of greenhouse gases, it would be necessary to plant 46,946 hectares of forests, an area equivalent to 34.5 percent of the Pantanal, a vast tropical wetland in central South America.

The study will be presented to the Ministry of Sports and the local World Cup organizing committee, head consultant Daniel Machado told Tierramérica.

“The use of alternative raw materials and more sustainable production practices, such as acquiring materials within a radius of less than 800 km from the stadium, could help to mitigate these emissions,” he added.