The Last Post

Matt Cooper: Fifa’s dirty laundry includes a load of blatant World Cup greenwashing

The world football organiser claims the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is ‘a fully carbon-neutral event’, but there are arguments that the tournament may contribute up to 10 million tonnes of carbon emissions

The world football organiser claims the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is ‘a fully carbon-neutral event’, but there are arguments that the tournament may contribute up to 10 million tonnes of carbon emissions

We hear a lot these days about sportswashing, how Middle Eastern autocratic regimes with highly dubious human rights records try to launder their reputation by spending heavily on the ownership of sports teams or by hosting major tournaments, such as Qatar and the ongoing football World Cup.

But greenwashing should not be overlooked either. Here’s a definition of greenwashing: a public display of concern for the environment and an attempt to claim credit for providing ...