From Copenhagen to Rome, from Seville to Baku: To mark the 60th anniversary of the European Football Championship, which starts on Friday (June 11th), UEFA is hosting 51 games in eleven cities across Europe – and still promises the “most environmentally friendly” Euros of all time ”. EURACTIV France reports.
UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) announced in 2019 that the European Championship would be “a celebration of European football that will take place across the continent”. On the occasion of the 60th anniversary, the event should “reach more cities across Europe”.
The 51 games will be played in London, Munich, Rome, Amsterdam, Budapest, Bucharest, Seville, Glasgow, Copenhagen, Baku and St. Petersburg.
But the party has its price: In view of the upcoming trips by the teams and fans across the continent, the question of the effects of the EM on the environment arises. Although the number of spectators in the stadiums has been reduced due to pandemic regulations, the championship will ensure thousands of flights, sometimes over considerable distances.
Should the Swiss team reach the final, players and fans would have to cover 21,656 kilometers for the matches, for example, has the BBC calculated.
So is the “Euro 2020” held in 2021 an ecological disaster?
–
–
For its part, UEFA says “no” and promises that “the most environmentally friendly European championship ever” will take place. As there is no single host country this time, “there is no need to build new stadiums or the necessary transport links”. It is precisely the development of such infrastructure that normally has “significant effects on the environment,” explains the football association.
With regard to the emissions caused by the traveling fans, UEFA wants to “take its responsibility” by offsetting the “hundreds of thousands of tons of CO2 that are produced during the tournament”. This is done by investing in projects in the field of renewable energies in cooperation with the Swiss Consultancy South Pole. The corresponding projects are all certified with the renowned Gold Standard label for climate protection.
Furthermore, UEFA wants to plant 50,000 trees in each of the host countries in order to “leave a lasting, sustainable legacy of this competition”.
From the point of view of the Green MEPs and Chair of the Transport Committee of the EU Parliament, Karima Delli, the EM is “total ecological nonsense” in view of the climate crisis, quotes her The Dispatch.
–
How sustainable is German professional football?
There are currently no fans in the stadium. Sad for the fans, but good for the environment, because fans are a burden on the climate. Sooner or later they will come back and in the meantime clubs can take care of their carbon footprint.
–
–
“The subject is sensitive, but unfortunately the debate is not scientifically sound,” explains Antoine Miche, chairman of Football Ecologie France. In order to find out whether Euro 2020 is actually environmentally friendly (more) or sustainable, it would be necessary to carry out a comparative study that examines different scenarios, says Miche.
However, he further emphasizes: Although in the absence of such a study it remains difficult to precisely calculate and evaluate the real environmental impact of the European Championship, the championship offers a great opportunity to make the sport more environmentally conscious overall. The EM could be an “interesting moment of discussion” that “makes the fans think”.
His organization Football Écologie France, which supports football clubs in encouraging players and fans to take more ecological responsibility in everyday life, is meanwhile running the campaign #tousecosupporters on social networks active: The campaign introduces football players who are committed to the subject of the environment, sustainability and climate.
The aim is to show that the clubs and the active people are committed and that the fan communities also have “the opportunity to change something every day in a very concrete way,” explains Miche.
–
Unusual agreement against planned soccer super league
From high-ranking EU officials to European and British heads of state to the leaders of nationalist parties: In the criticism of a new project in professional football, Europe’s politicians are unusually united.
–
–
–
–
–
Ewald Lienen: Football Rebel for Future
German football veteran Ewald Lienen is convinced that football is political. As Technical Director of FC St. Pauli, he fights for climate protection, both on the lawn and on the street.
–
–
–
–
–
