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One of biggest game event FIFA world cup is offsetting its GHG emission on the account of construction, transportation and  energy/fuel use to make the complete event carbon neutral. Brazil government has made an announcement to the holder of CERs for the donation to make the event a success and to set it as a model for other similar events.

It is to be noted that recently UNFCCC also had advocated for a carbon neutral world to reverse the effect of climate change. However this is not first time when FIFA world cup emissions are being offset with CERs as earlier FIFA was also Carbon Neutral but surely the move should be appreciated. One thing which is disturbing in this kind of event is the use of donated CERs as CDM projects are the projects which are not financially viable as compare to other investment options therefore the CERs must be purchased from these project so that those project could also get some revenue and benefit out of this which is actually the purpose of CDM. Getting a project registered with UNFCCC under CDM mechanism itself is a costly affair therefore to support these projects event organizers must think of their concerns also. It can set up an positive example to other popular game events only if CERs would be purchased and not sourced from donation otherwise all other event organizers will be willing to make a carbon neutral event from donated CERs and in no way it can help a sustainable development to those projects seeking CDM help.

About the CDM
The CDM allows emission-reduction projects in developing countries to earn certified emission reductions (CERs), each equivalent to one tonne of CO2. CERs can be traded and sold, and used by industrialized countries to meet a part of their emission reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol. With more than 7,600 registered projects and programmes in 105 developing countries, the CDM has proven to be a powerful mechanism to deliver finance for emission-reduction projects and contribute to sustainable evelopment.

About the UNFCCC
With 195 Parties, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has near universal membership and is the parent treaty of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol has been ratified by 192 of the UNFCCC Parties. For the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, 37 States, consisting of highly industrialized countries and countries undergoing the process of transition to a market economy, have legally binding emission limitation and reduction commitments. In Doha in 2012, the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol adopted an amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, which establishes the second commitment period under the Protocol. The ultimate objective of both treaties is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that will prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system.

Author: Harish Sharma