Frankfurt/Nairobi,
17 May 2006 – As global excitement over the 2006
FIFA World Cup reaches fever pitch, members of
the Green Goal team met today in Germany to review
the projects of the most environmentally-friendly
football tournament ever.
Green Goal, set up by the German
Organizing Committee and whose squad includes
the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
and the Oeko Institute, agreed that environmental
messages contained in a short and witty film will
be presented on giant screens as part of the pre-match
warm up before each and every match.
The film, which is set to be
screened for the first time in Berlin next week,
ends with the slogan ‘World Champion for the Environment—We
are working on it”.
The review of the Green Goal
programme was conducted at the Headquarters of
the Organizing Committee in the lush suburbs of
Frankfurt, within sight of the stadium where the
much expected Netherlands-Argentina football drama
and other games will unfold next month.
Following a meeting with Wolfgang
Niersbach, the Executive Vice-President of the
Organizing Committee, the Director of the UNEP
Division of Communications and Public Information,
Eric Falt – who is responsible for the organization’s
sports and environment initiative – said today:
“Environmental considerations
will take centre stage in this competition for
the very first time, with clear and measurable
objectives, and we hope that it will leave a lasting
legacy”.
Green Goal, whose stars include
German football legend Franz Beckenbauer and former
UNEP Executive Director Klaus Toepfer, also put
the final touches to the Climate Neutral scheme,
which will offset all 100,000 tonnes of carbon
dioxide generated within Germany by transportation,
construction and maintenance of the stadia, and
the presence of 3.2 million expected spectators.
As part of an environmentally
sound transport plan, fans purchasing tickets
for the matches in the 12 World Cup venues will
be able to use them for free access to local public
transportation during 24 hours, as part of the
Kombi ticket scheme.
The Kombi ticket commitment
alone will cost the World Cup 2006 Organizing
Committee some two million Euros, but should save
large amounts of greenhouse gases by reducing
private car use.
Other energy savings schemes
centre around the stadia themselves. For example,
the latest high-tech energy management systems
have been installed in the Munich Arena and should
realize a 20 per cent reduction in electricity
consumption on both and match and non-match days.
In addition, the pitch at the
Berlin Olympiastadion and other stadia will be
watered from a new rainwater harvesting system,
and water-free urinals in the mens’ toilets will
feature at numerous key locations.
With the issue of waste avoidance
foremost on their minds, the organizers have also
introduced the reusable “Cup of the Cup”. Fans
will pay a deposit of one Euro for the cup which
will be the only one sold and used for drinks
at the grounds.
Today it was also announced
that 300 volunteers, trained to educate fans about
the aims and objectives of Green Goal, are to
be located inside each of the 12 stadia.
A Green Goal brochure, featuring
the logos of supporting organizations, including
UNEP, the German Environment Ministry, DBU, FIFA,
Deutsche
Telekom, Plastics Europe, Coca
Cola, Deutsche Bahn, EnBW and Total, was already
made available for fans at railway stations in
the 12 tournament cities.
The brochure, a key element for public awareness,
was sent this week to 25,000 journalists around
the world.
“Environmental considerations
and impacts, including those that add to climate
change, are increasingly being factored into important
sporting events. The Olympic movement, in which
UNEP is an active partner, has in many respects
led the way,” said Mr Falt.
“The Organizing Committee for
the 2006 FIFA World Cup is keen to bring the same
considerations to the football world. We are encouraged
by both their plans and their enthusiasm and look
forward to working with them and FIFA, and to
sound, reliable and verifiable outcomes in areas
such as energy efficiency, waste handling and
water savings,” he added.
