The Committee of Tourism and Sport debated the measures to be taken by Brazil to promote a “Green Cup”. Brazil wants to ensure environmental, social and economic sustainability for the 2014 World Cup. The so-called “Green Cup” was discussed in a public hearing of the Committee of Tourism and Sport on Wednesday (07).

Since the 2006 World Cup, in Germany, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) requires the host country to adopt environmentally sustainable measures prioritizing urban mobility and the reduction of water and power consumption, for instance.

The Director of the Department of Articulation and Actions in Amazonia of Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Environment (MMA), Roberto Suarez, said that the Brazilian government is already performing an integrated action agenda, which also includes the environmental summit Rio + 20 to be held in 2012, and the Confederations Cup, in 2013, and the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, in 2016.

Suarez emphasized some of these actions: certification of stadiums so that they reuse rainwater; best use of solar energy and natural ventilation; accessibility to people bearing any special need; sustainable cities; urban mobility; sustainable production, purchasing and consumption.

“The Organic Cup is also being discussed. It involves from family agriculture to organic producers and also great entrepreneurs", he adds. “We want to reach 30% of organic products consumption. And this is for the Country, not only for the Cup. This is here to stay.”

Priority Works

Regarding the agenda of actions mentioned by Roberto Suarez, the meetings to detail the Organic Cup (in partnership with the Ministry of Agricultural Development) and to deal with the reception of tourists in national parks stand out.

Workshops to discuss environmental licensing of priority works were already held. According to Suarez, the thematic of MMA actions also regard: Sustainable energies, climate change, natural and cultural heritage and ecological tourism.

Actions coordinated by the Ministries of Sport and Environment also prioritize sustainable choices to build or reform stadiums in the 12 cities hosting the 2014 World Cup.

Solid waste

According to the Environmental Association of Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), the debris from works represent from 50% to 70% the total solid waste produced in big cities. With the Cup, this percentage tends to significantly increase. The representative of the Association, Paula Freitas, suggested, for instance, the reuse or recycling of iron, wood, plastic and paper found among rubbish.

To the Non-Governmental Organization SOS Mata Atlântica, Brazil should also take advantage of the Cup to invest in ecological tourism. However, the Director of the NGO, Mário Mantovani, asked for transparency and responsibility of authorities in environmental licensing processes to the various enterprises planned.

According to him, actions should be taken in a logical way and performed through a shared-responsibility system. “It will prevent us to say two years prior to the Cup: ‘There is no environmental license. The process was not duly performed, in a transparent way, bids are flawed, there is corruption and then, the environment is to blame. It is all about transparency and participation”.

The Chairman of the Committee, Deputy Raquel Teixeira, praised the Green Cup initiatives; however, she warned about the delay, especially regarding infrastructure and urban mobility works. All experts emphasized that the concept of sustainability must be part of every work from the basic project.

Translation-SP Language/Grupo Solucion –Thiago de Lira Capatti