F1 aims to set benchmark for sporting world with pledge to go carbon neutral
Formula One has pledged to deliver on an ambitious programme to address the global climate emergency by going carbon neutral within 11 years.
The sport has committed to a plan that not only ensures it has a net carbon impact of zero by 2030 but will also adopt policies to make all grands prix fully sustainable by 2025. Both are bold targets that will not be easily met for a sport which produces 256,000 tons of CO2 each season while transporting 10 teams and equipment to 21 races and with the global calendar set to expand.
However, as the sport unveiled details of how it plans to achieve its goal, every team has embraced the carbonzero goal with an understanding that for the sport to prosper it must reflect public opinion on the climate emergency, and the hope it that it may stand as a model for other sports to follow suit.
The intention is to wipe out the carbon footprint by developing synthetic fuel, and making logistics and travel as efficient as possible while ensuring offices, facilities and factories are powered by renewable energy and eliminating single use plastic. Anything that cannot be eliminated will be offset.
The move also reflects opinion among the drivers. Britain’s Lewis Hamilton, who became world champion for the sixth time at the last round in the USA, has been criticised in recent weeks for his outspoken environmental concerns given his participation in the sport. However he has attempted to adopt a sustainable lifestyle, welcomed F1’s proposals and refused to be browbeaten by critics.
“Yes we are travelling around the world, yes we are racing F1 cars,” he said. “Our carbon footprint is larger than the average homeowner but you shouldn’t be afraid to speak out for something that can be a positive change.”
The Green Party deputy leader, Amelia Womack, believes Formula One should serve as an example. “It is very welcome that Formula One is making this commitment to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, and significantly clean up their environmental impact,” she said. “It should set a benchmark for all other sports organisations and businesses to follow suit – if F1 can do it then surely anyone can.
“The science is clear, we must turn our whole economy and society to be net-zero carbon by 2030. The government should hang their head in shame that they won’t reach net-zero carbon emissions until at least 2050, while a world series of car racing is doing the right thing for the planet.”
On Tuesday, the detailed results of a year-long consultation between owners Liberty Media, the sport’s governing body (the Fédération Internationale de
l’Automobile), the 10 teams, race promoters and sustainability experts, were revealed.
The current engine is to be developed into a new net zero-carbon power unit. In 2021, 10% use of biofuel will be mandatory and it is expected with improved engine efficiency and the development of synthetic fuel that uses carbon capture, the proposed target is attainable.
This is backed by a commitment to using only renewable energy at F1 and team facilities. While for logistics and travel, employing low carbon means where possible and maximising efficiency will be pursued.
By far the biggest contributor to the CO2 the sport produces is the air travel on which the sport depends. There are 21 races this year and next year their will be a record 22. Nine of the meetings were in Europe with the remaining 13 spread across the globe from Australia to the USA, China and Brazil. Unsurprisingly then, 45% of the total carbon is from air, sea and road transport of the logistics required to put on each race. A further 27.7% was derived from the transport of personnel within the sport and its promoters and partners.
In comparison the emissions from power units across every team, running two cars each for the entire season represented only 0.7% of the total. Indeed alongside developments F1 has pioneered in automotive safety, aerodynamics, advanced materials and energy recovery systems, the current generation of engine is the most efficient in operation in the world. However Formula One has done a singularly poor job in promoting the advances they have made in this field with F1 cars more than 20% more efficient than a road vehicle.
Further decreasing the carbon footprint of the cars themselves is eminently achievable then but for the travel and logistics F1 has had to commit to offsetting any carbon it cannot eliminate by tree planting and developing carbon recapture technology.
Neither will be cheap nor easily achieved but the sport is well placed to lead the way. Formula One is a major industry in the UK. Seven of the 10 teams are based there and across the racing industry employ more than 40,000 people, with an annual turnover of around £9bn. Driven by fierce technological competitiveness it is estimated they invest £1bn in research and development every year.