The impact of hosting the 2022 World Cup on promoting Sustainable Development in Qatar

Abstract

The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar provided a unique case study to examine mega-events

impact on sustainable development in host nations. The purpose of this study is to assess the extent to which the FIFA World Cup affected the country’s sustainability plan both in the

environmental, social, economic and governance fronts. To cater for the impacts of carbon

emissions for the occasion, the government employed some strategies that focused on

sustainability as elaborated below; the use of modular structures to construct stadia, integration of renewable energy sources, and planting of trees for greening of urban space (Kucukvar et al.,2021). The efforts to promote innovation in the countries have been analysed in the study following the pillars of human development, governance, social returns and environmental perspective. The World Cup raised issues concerning infrastructure and sustainability in Qatar, it brought awareness for sustainability especially on infrastructures but at the same time, there were rising concerns with rate of sustainable development due to the high growth rates that were evident (Al-Emadi et al., 2016). It would be quantitative for environmental indicators and qualitative for the policies’ implementation as well as the views of the stakeholders (Ghanad,2023). This method made it possible for the research to gain an understanding of the different silicon encounters between mega-event host nations and sustainable development. This study's theoretical foundation rendered ideas of sustainable event management, resource management efficiency, and sustainable social benefits to evaluate the possibilities of Qatar's World Cup sustainability efficient strategies (Van der Waldt, 2020). The research protrudes knowledge of mega-events and sustainability by analysing how this event impacted Qatar's environmental politics, economy and social fabric (Brannagan & Reiche, 2022). To achieve these objectives, the researcher adopted a descriptive statistic, collecting data mainly through online survey questionnaire administered to a large sample of 150 participants who voluntarily participated in the study.

Moreover, the research highlights a few positive correlations between the World Cup in

Qatari human development and governance and the social side of sustainability. It led to

education, health and technology reform and promoted intercultural understanding and national pride (Knudsen et al., 2020). Increased spending on training and capacity building of the local populace to host a world-class event illustrates an enhanced drive towards human development programmes (Al-Emadi et al., 2016). There were more substantial improvements in governance structures and decision-making processes in environmental policies and labour laws to meet the international and FIFA standards (Zumbrägel, 2021). The World Cup can also be used to construct Qatari culture and identity and enable the unification of people from all over the globe, allowing for increased interaction (Griffin, 2021). These social effects also did not end with the event but through event sustainable legacies that included public spaces, cultural institutions, and society community programs that infused the growth of Qatar's social fabric (Almarri, 2020).

However, the study also reveals a complex and somewhat contradictory relationship

between the World Cup and environmental sustainability in Qatar. As much as the research shows the progress made in developing energy-efficient stadiums and greenhouse technologies, research demonstrates adverse effects on the ecological dimensions of sustainable development (Azzali, 2019). The purported environmental benefits of hosting a mega-event like the World Cup may be overshadowed, at least in the short term, by the substantial ecological footprint resulting from extensive construction projects and the influx of international visitors (Luerdi, 2022). Examining the impact and consequence of this approach of development and accelerative growth, which conjoins with mega-events, the study enunciates the difficulty of adopting a concept that develops net positive environmental effects. The research adds prior knowledge to Sustainable

Event Management and Resource Efficiency. It may be effectively used by future mega-event’s organisers and policymakers (Al-Dosari, 2020). It needs a long-term visionary approach, monitoring mega-events within sustainable development (Mohamed et al., 2022). According to the study, if correctly managed, mega-events could facilitate progress toward sustainable development goals. On the same note, there is a need to ensure sustainable Economic Development alongside social and Environmental Conservation