Qatar National Library (QNL

In January 2020, hosts Qatar and FIFA released the event’s first joint Sustainability Strategy. Sustainability has been one of the main aspects of this World Cup, which started at the bid stage and will continue right through to the end of the tournament. The aim is to use the power of football to open up a world of amazing experiences and build a lasting legacy that fits in with both FIFA’s vision and Qatar’s national development goals. In 2015, FIFA and the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) began to develop and implement the event’s Sustainability Strategy. This was the first to be planned and delivered jointly by FIFA, SC on behalf of the host country, and the local organisers, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 LLC (Q22). ‘Developing human capital, safeguarding workers rights, and delivering innovative environmental solutions’ are some of the points mentioned in the Sustainability Strategy. To deliver the shared vision, five sustainability commitments have been defined: • Human Pillar: To develop human capital and safeguard workers’ rights, particularly construction workers, as well as human rights issues related to the actual event, such as freedom of expression for journalists and the avoidance of discrimination. • Social Pillar: To provide an inclusive tournament experience for all, ensuring it is safe, welcoming and accessible to all participants and attendees. • Economic Pillar: To catalyse economic development, highlighting economic development and growth in Qatar.

This will be achieved by enabling local and international businesses to become FIFA suppliers, with a priority for local entities. • Environment Pillar: To deliver innovative environmental solutions, hosting a fully carbon-neutral FIFA World

Cup™. • Governance Pillar: To set an example of good governance and ethical business practices, with periodic updates of the Sustainability Strategy, stakeholder engagement and communication, and sustainable procurement procedures. Further to this, 22 objectives have been described in detail, along with more than 70 initiatives and programmes to deliver the strategy and achieve the objectives set. These were identified with the help of more than 100 national and international governmental, non-governmental and private-sector organisations, via surveys, workshops, meetings and the circulation of drafts, according to SC. Furthermore, the development process for the strategy also included a full human rights salience assessment, a first for a mega-sporting event. Implementation of the Sustainability Strategy is in line with the United Nation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This was adopted by world leaders in September 2015 and has 17 universal Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), or Global Goals, and 169 targets, which set out a vision for ending poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. The Sustainability Strategy for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM has been aligned with the most relevant SDGs based upon sustainability topics and human rights issues. Overall, 11 SDGs will be achieved.

In legacy mode, the modular upper tiers of some stadiums will be donated overseas – the seats will be given to countries needing sports infrastucture, and will ensure Qatar can use the stadiums appropriately after 2022. Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium is on the site of the old Al Rayyan stadium, much of which has been reused throughout the stadium complex or becoming public art installations. Trees in the location remain in place to minimise impact on the natural environment.