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 article proposes a methodology based on cost-benefit analysis and welfare economics to assess the social and environmental viability of mega-events, applying it to the Coldplay concert (2024) and the FIFA World Cup (2026). The economic benefit is calculated using users’ willingness to pay, as reflected in the resale of tickets, whilst the environmental impact is measured by the carbon footprint across the entire life cycle. To avoid double-counting, everyday domestic and food consumption is excluded, but attendees’ travel is included, as this is the largest source of emissions. Finally, the study introduces a shared responsibility framework that commits organisers to promoting more sustainable travel among attendees, such as by offering discounts for choosing lower-emission transport options.

These findings aim to guide decision-making to improve sustainability within the sector. As an innovation, the method quantifies the impact of various measures; for example, internalising the costs of direct and indirect emissions into ticket prices, which would increase ticket prices. It is worth noting that, under severe carbon constraints, the World Cup could generate a negative social impact, rendering its current format unviable. In any case, although factoring in carbon costs reduces the high net benefits of both events, it does not entirely negate them. The research provides sufficient evidence to challenge current trends in the music industry, such as the famous single-city residencies that force millions of people to travel, recommending instead that concerts be held more frequently and spread out geographically to limit long-distance travel.