2023-04-21 10:30:00
Six months before the opening match between France and New Zealand, where are we at with the measures put in place by the organizers in favor of the environment?
Par Audrey Ronfaut
© CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT / AFP
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Ucompetition for “positive impact”. This is the assumed ambition of France 2023 to make the Rugby World Cup a responsible sporting event. Among the CSR (corporate social responsibility) objectives: reducing the impact on the environment for a more eco-friendly sport, two terms that seem less and less opposed.
In recent years, sport has indeed become “a tool to accelerate the environmental transition of our society”, estimates WWF France. The NGO supported the Ministry of Sports in the creation, in 2017, of a charter of 15 eco-responsible commitments, of which France 2023 is a signatory.
The organizers of the Mondial du ballon ovale want to be exemplary, in particular for sorting waste, as explained to us by Carina Orru, CSR director of France 2023: “Working groups are being set up and we are discussing with communities and stadiums . A biflux system will be installed, one for plastic, cardboard, etc., a second for other waste. The sorting instructions will be the same everywhere with appropriate signage and bins, from the place of arrival of the public to the stadiums. »
Waste management carried out with its partner Volvic, a brand committed to a circular economy of packaging. “We are working on a poster campaign with Citeo and training a green brigade of volunteers to encourage sorting in a fun and educational way in the stadiums. The commitment with France 2023, which adopts a sustainable and socially committed approach for this World Cup, was obvious,” adds Nicolas Menard, Marketing Director of Danone France.
“Reduce our impact as much as possible”
Of all the logistical challenges, the most important to overcome remains that of transport. “80% of greenhouse gas emissions attributed to a sporting event are linked to the transport of people”, recalls the Agency for the Environment and Energy Management (Ademe).
READ ALSOBoris Ravignon challenged at the head of Ademe: “The LRs had my skin” If eco-responsible travel, such as carpooling, is recommended, rail transport is an alternative to reach the host cities, and the SNCF already allows supporters to anticipate their journeys. Regarding the teams, the majority of connections will be made by train. Some cities will opt for soft mobility, such as Nice where bicycles will be made available free of charge to get to the stadium.
But, with nearly 800,000 supporters from all over the world expected, what about the carbon impact of their trips to France? “Our desire is to reduce our impact as much as possible. […] We have decided to absorb all CO emissions2 generated by international air traffic due to the World Cup. A specialized firm is currently providing us with its expertise,” says Carina Orru.
And to specify: “We have calculated and this should be around 600,000 CO emissions2 generated. To compensate for them, we are moving towards all that is planting trees such as mangroves, a species that absorbs CO2 more quickly and which makes it possible to fight against erosion and rising waters. »
“Rugby, a powerful tool”
An awareness carried by figures of French rugby. Antoine Dupont, captain of the French team and ambassador of Volvic, wants to believe in a sport that is more committed to the planet:
“The focus of the organization of the World Cup on the subject is a very good thing. When the eyes of the rugby world will be on France, it will indeed be an opportunity to implement best practices so that they become something acquired on all sports grounds, during the World Cup of course. , but also for the many pro and amateur clubs. This is a subject that must enter into the management considerations of any sports entity to limit the impact but also to transmit the right gestures to young fans and practitioners. »
Moving the lines, like a decisive pass on the ground, is also Julien Pierre’s fight. The former player of the XV of France launched in 2020 Fair Play For Planet, the first environmental label intended for clubs, sites and sporting events. It allows them to improve their development model while respecting the environment.
The former second line of ASM Clermont wants to be optimistic: “The preservation of the environment is increasingly incorporated into the values of rugby alongside the values of respect, high standards and commitments. Rugby is necessarily a powerful tool for infusing good practices in this area. With Fair Play For Planet, we hope that adopting an environmentally friendly behavior will soon no longer be seen as a challenge, but as a norm. »
The medals of the recycled finalists:
Acting for the environment also means recycling. The three finalist teams will receive medals from a collection of mobile phones carried out in rugby clubs in 2022. A first in France.
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