Sasol showed its support of the country's hosting of the 2010 Soccer World Cup by handing over 127 925 carbon credits valued at approximately US$130 000 to the 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa (2010 OC) to help offset the soccer tournament's carbon footprint.

 
These credits represent a reduction of greenhouse gases that has already taken place, which are equivalent to 127 925 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. The carbon footprint of the 2010 Soccer World Cup has been estimated to be equivalent to nearly 900 000 tons of carbon dioxide, excluding the emissions resulting from international travel to and from South Africa.
 
Aside from providing the best in world soccer, the 2010 Soccer World Cup presents an opportunity to enhance environmental sustainability for South Africa and it citizens. Over the past few years event greening has become a major focus of the FIFA event, and the event is South Africa is no exception. However, due to South Africa's geography and infrastructure, the carbon footprint is expected to be much larger than that of the 2006 tournament.
 
The carbon credits donated by Sasol will allow the tournament's local carbon footprint to be reduced by an estimated 14%. The donation by Sasol will go a long way to augment other initiatives in place to help offset the tournament's carbon footprint.
 
Sasol recognizes and shares the global concerns regarding GHG emissions that contribute to climate change. Meeting the global demand for energy will accelerate greenhouse gas emissions unless effective technological solutions and management interventions are developed and implemented. "It is through such innovative solutions that Sasol earned the carbon credits that we are now able to donate to the 2010 OC to offset the soccer tournament's footprint," said Nolitha Fakude, Sasol Executive Director. "We are very proud to show our support for the 2010 Soccer World Cup by making a donation of these carbon credits."
 
Ike Ndlovu, the Environmental Project Coordinator for the 2010 OC, said "Carbon offset programmes are one of the ways we hope to minimize the impact of the soccer tournament on the environment. Throughout the planning of the tournament we have looked at opportunities to offset our carbon footprint. We believe this generous donation by Sasol will go a long way to helping reduce that footprint."
 
ENDS.