Austria and Switzerland shoot for green legacy for Euro 2008
Switzerland and Austria may have limped out of Euro 2008 after the first round, but the two host countries are aiming to be true champions when it comes to sustainability.
the Dutch did not quite cooperate with the new scheme of fan logistics...(Photo: CC ati84)
Umwelt am Ball
In conjunction with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the two countries developed "Umwelt am Ball," or "Environment on the Offense," a sustainability strategy for the event which took place in June.
Climate-neutral Euro 2008
The main goal of Umwelt am Ball was to ensure that Euro 2008 was a climate-neutral tournament. It aimed to do this by implementing, supporting and promoting sustainable initiatives to reduce carbon emissions both during and after the tournament, to the extent that the emissions savings would cancel out the extra emissions generated by Euro 2008.
The strategy included the use of electricity supplies from renewable energies, the use of energy-saving equipment, and environmental certification of the stadiums. But one of the key targets was sustainable transport. Both Austria and Switzerland tried to minimise the additional traffic caused by the event by introducing a series of carbon-reducing initiatives.
Free transport
One of the principal measures was the inclusion of free public transport in the price of a match ticket. This meant that ticket holders could use all forms of public transport, including railways, in both Switzerland and Austria for the duration of the tournament.
The preliminary results are positive, with high hopes of meeting the targets of public transport use above 60 per cent for long distance journeys and 80 per cent for local journeys. For the fans who couldn't be persuaded to leave their cars at home, free petrol-saving training was available to drivers.
...which cost them a place in the semi-final. (Photo: cc 'Brizio)
Long-term goals
Furthermore, the two countries are not taking a short-term view of the scheme. Working with private sponsors and partners, including BP Austria and Coca-Cola, the Umwelt am Ball strategy will help finance additional climate projects in Austria and Switzerland throughout the coming year.
But we'll have to wait to find out whether the emissions-reducing initiatives were more successful than the host countries’ football tactics. The Euro 2008 sustainability report outlining the overall CO2 profile of the event will not be published until this autumn.
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