"DOHA - Climate advocates have cast doubt on Qatar's efforts to host soccer's first carbon-neutral FIFA World Cup by offsetting or eliminating emissions that contribute to global warming, according to a report released Tuesday.
Organisers in the Gulf Arab state are omitting some greenhouse gas emissions from their calculations and will rely on flimsy carbon offsets to reach carbon neutrality, said the report, complied by Carbon Market Watch, an advocacy group.
In a statement, Qatar's tournament organisers dismissed the conclusions as speculative, saying emissions will be calculated using "best-in practice" methods after the tournament ends to ensure they are based on actual activities.
Qatar, the world's largest producer of natural gas, pledged to host a carbon neutral tournament when it bid for the event more than 11 years ago."
Andrew Mills and Jake Spring report for Reuters May 31, 2022.