The Ocean Race is in the Race to Zero

The Ocean Race is joining hundreds of leading sports organisations across the world in making bold commitments to drastically reduce its impact on the environment.

During the Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, the United Nations Sports for Climate Action initiative, which The Ocean Race is part of, announced that it has joined the Race to Zero. Organisations in the Race to Zero must aim to halve their greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions by 2030 and reach net zero emissions by 2040. This means removing an equivalent amount of GHGs from the atmosphere, to balance those that have been created by the organisation.

The Ocean Race is on track to deliver on these ambitious targets early and potentially achieve net-zero emissions in the next round-the-world race in 2022-23 as part of its ongoing work to protect and restore the seas.

What is Sports for Climate Action?

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has brought sports organisations together to make commitments and action on climate change, under an initiative called ‘Sports for Climate Action’.

Its objective is for sport to help to combat climate change by measuring, reducing and reporting GHGs, and to use sport as a unifying tool to drive climate change awareness and action among the public.

What is the Race to Zero?

Race to Zero is a programme that business, organisations and others can join that has rigorous requirements to not only make promises, but to act and report results.

As well as reducing their emissions, organisations can reach net zero by helping to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, for example by supporting ‘blue carbon’ projects, in which marine habitats, like seagrass and mangroves, are restored to help lock away carbon.

What are we doing to reach the target?

The Ocean Race measured the GHG emissions from the last round-the-world Race in 2017-18. This included operations, such as staff travel, the shipping of equipment and the energy used in race villages, as well as the impact of sailing teams and other stakeholders.

Based on these findings, changes are being made that are anticipated to result in at least a 50% reduction in GHG emissions of the next Race. For example, less people will fly to stopovers and less equipment will be shipped to host cities, and Race Villages will be powered by 100% renewable energy.

Find out more here.