Saudi Arabia's plans to host men's 2034 World Cup will be harmful for the climate, experts say

As the newly-named host of the 2034 World Cup in men's soccer, Saudi Arabia says it will construct or renovate 15 stadiums, create a futuristic city and expand airports in a massive buildout to accommodate millions of athletes, coaches and spectators.

That will emit tons of planet-warming greenhouse gases as concrete and steel are manufactured and transported, diesel-powered excavators and trucks move material and new buildings are powered and cooled. When all the emissions associated with the world's buildings are grouped together, they are the largest contributor to climate change.

Constructing so many new venues is "environmentally wasteful in the extreme" because so much carbon will be emitted and scarce resources used, said Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith College in Massachusetts who has written several books about the economics of mega sporting events. Zimbalist said the World Cup should be held in countries with a developed soccer culture and industry.

Seth Warren Rose, founding director of the research organization Eneref Institute, said the world will be even hotter a decade from now, and can't afford this added warming.

Rose said his message to organizers is: Make a genuine effort to reduce emissions or don't host at all.

Saudi Arabia's plans will rely heavily on concrete, which is responsible for about 8% of worldwide emissions that warm the planet, with iron and steel accounting for another 7%. Human rights groups are concerned that giving the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia will endanger migrant workers.

In a bid book detailing its plans for development across five cities ahead of the World Cup, Saudi Arabia said three new stadiums are currently under construction and eight more are planned,