In the wake of the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, FIA ETCR eTouring Car World Cup promoter Discovery Sports Events (DSE) has reiterated its commitment to the global drive for a sustainable future through work with the United Nations Sports for Climate Action group to reduce the impact of racing on our planet.
Already at the forefront of sustainable racing, FIA ETCR uses electric touring cars which are powered by electricity which has been generated using green hydrogen.
As a signatory of the UN Sports for Climate Action group, DSE has committed to reducing emissions across its championships by 50 percent by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2040. DSE also commits to measuring and disclosing its annual carbon footprint and progress with reducing emissions, as well as submitting a plan as to how it will achieve its emission-reducing goals.
Since early 2022, DSE has also been working to obtain ISO 20121 certification, which guarantees that all FIA ETCR events are run with sustainability at their heart, with a minimal impact on the local environment and community, while strengthening relationships with all stakeholders. DSE is also seeking B Corp certification – an award that verifies the organisation meets high standards in social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.
As well as the environmentally aware approach to the racing on track, DSE is determined to reduce emissions wherever possible. This includes operating with a sustainable travel policy and working with event promoters to ensure every element of each event has an environmental evaluation.
The FIA ETCR calendar is designed to minimise travel between events for the infrastructure and equipment, and air freight is not used. Water fountains are used at all events to eliminate any need for single-use plastic bottles and DSE works with al its suppliers and partners to ensure a sustainable approach is taken in their activities.
FIA ETCR uses and promotes #TransitionInMotion as its umbrella term for all CSR activities by the series. Over the course of 2022, these have included a number of initiatives such as working with local charities and universities at its events, planting over 6500 trees in support of EARTHDAY.ORG’s The Canopy Project and highlighting International LGBTQ+ Pride Day through its support of the Racing Pride movement.
DSE became a signatory of the UN Sports for Climate Action charter in 2021 and through the organisation’s Agenda for Sustainable Development, aims to help achieve its goals even faster.
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an urgent call for action by countries – both developing and developed – to form a global partnership to work towards greater peace and prosperity for people and planet by 2030.
FIA ETCR’s commitments are:
Good health and well-being (UN SDG 3): To influence a global shift from traditional internal-combustion-engined vehicles to those powered by electric motors; substantially reducing the number of deaths and illnesses caused by air pollution and contamination.
Quality education (UN SDG 4): Through Discovery Group; parent company of FIA ETCR promoter Discovery Sports Events, the series has access to a global network of media channels that have been utilised since 1985 to spread knowledge and awareness of the importance of sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, cultural diversity and a promotion of peace and non-violence.
Clean water and sanitation (UN SDG 6): FIA ETCR has imposed strict water-resource management policies at its events with plastic bottles banned from offices and reusable drinking bottles encouraged for all staff and competing teams.
Affordable and clean energy (UN SDG 7): FIA ETCR believes in constant improvement in energy efficiency. All competing cars feature 100 per cent electric propulsion and are charged by green hydrogen generators.
Industry, Innovation, Infrastructure (UN SDG 9): From its inception, FIA ETCR aimed to be a hub of innovation; not just using the world’s first fully-electric touring cars, but also with the creation of the unique Starting Gate – where the race cars launch for their Battles – and Energy Station – where all cars are recharged in a giant communal hub in the paddock.
Sustainable cities and communities (UN SDG 11): Touring cars are the most road-relevant racing cars in the world in terms of appearance, and so are more relevant to shift peoples’ perceptions of electric mobility than any other type of vehicle. Continuing this promotion can limit pollution and illnesses in cities and make them more sustainable too.
Sustainable consumption and production (UN SDG 12): FIA ETCR promoter Discovery Sports Events is one of just three promoters globally to hold the FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation with a special focus made on greater sustainability in the fields of material procurement, promotion, waste reduction and material re-use.
Climate Action (UN SDG 13): An optimised calendar that minimises long journeys enabled a no-air-freight policy to be enacted; reducing carbon emissions by 90% through the use of sea freight-only. The use of hydrogen generators in the recharging process means the race cars in FIA ETCR use only decarbonised electricity – cleaner than taking the power from the grid!
Partnerships (UN SDG 17): Since 2021 FIA ETCR has partnered with EARTHDAY.ORG, creator of the global Earth Day more than 50 years ago, to review and evaluate processes to enable us to make motorsport more sustainable.
François Ribeiro, Head of Discovery Sports Events:
“Discovery Sports Events is determined to ensure DSE and FIA ETCR are among the world leaders when it comes to developing motorsport in a sustainable way. My team and I at Discovery Sports Events are proud to be signatories of the UN Sports for Climate Action group charter and we will work hard to deliver our championships with the minimum
possible impact on our planet. We look forward to demonstrating our commitment to this throughout our tenure as FIA ETCR promoter.”
Xavier Gavory, Series Director
“FIA ETCR is all about changing perceptions of electric vehicles and showing the world that electro mobility is part of the solutions that help us to live in a more sustainable way and reduce our carbon footprint. Sustainability is part of our DNA from day one. We can not only claim a zero emission racing thanks to our electric cars being recharged with hydrogen coming from decarbonised energy, but also a transparent road map towards more sustainable motorsport. We will continue to push, not just to meet but beat our targets as we drive for change through #TransitionInMotion.
“FIA ETCR uses electric cars which run on electricity generated from green hydrogen. We do not use air freight for our transportation and we examine every element to discover the methodology which has the least impact on the environment.”