Reacción a "It has been proposed that FIFA and music stars offer discounts to their fans to help reduce the climate impact of mega-events"

This study reinforces one of the fundamental principles of eco-design: the environmental impacts of a product, service or event must be addressed at the design stage, whilst it is still possible to modify the decisions that will determine its environmental footprint.

In the case of events, the largest share of emissions stems from indirect impacts, primarily from audience travel. Therefore, if the aim is to reduce an event’s environmental footprint, it is essential to consider the location, the number of venues, the duration, the schedule, accessibility by public transport and the expected origin of attendees.

The article shows that measures such as encouraging rail or shared transport, selecting more accessible locations, concentrating events, or rethinking their scale and format, can significantly reduce emissions.

However, the effective implementation of the measures suggested in the article will most likely require significant changes to the way in which certain large-scale events are designed and organised. The responsibility for reducing an event’s environmental footprint should not fall solely on attendees, but particularly on organisers, who have the capacity to incorporate these criteria from the outset and to create the necessary conditions so that the low-impact alternatives are also the easiest and most attractive options.