The Modern Tyres Ulster Rally is delighted to be partnering with Carbon Positive Motorsport for the 2023 event held on the 18-19 August.
There is an ever increasing need to reflect upon energy consumption by events and to act on mitigating the associated environmental impacts such as the carbon footprint generated by its running. The organising team behind the Ulster Rally believe that action is necessary to ensure the continued support of our stakeholders and the communities our event relies upon. Several events have begun to take such steps to help to make motorsport more sustainable for the future, and the Ulster Rally will be one of the first events in Northern Ireland and the wider Island of Ireland to run the initiative.
The Ulster Rally has decided as part of an environmental road map, to partner with Carbon Positive Motorsport, and to take significant steps to mitigate its carbon footprint through the purchase of carbon reduction units (CRUs)
These CRUs are sourced using only world class rewilding-based carbon offsetting projects certified by the Woodland Carbon Code. Such projects provide greater environmental benefits than offsetting alone and ensure that the economic benefits are retained within the country. The CRUs will provide assured carbon offsetting in the future, to the equivalent of an estimated CO2e level, using UK government carbon conversion factors that correspond to the forecasted fuel consumption of the organisers and competitors vehicles on the event day.
This forecast is based on actual competition and organisers vehicles fuel consumption, and will include an additional 25% offset level, to create a carbon positive level of offsetting in the long term.
The Ulster Rally have included a discounted £19 carbon offsetting charge per competitor within the entry fees – a relatively low cost for the quality of offsetting provided, and to secure the benefits for the event in the future. Competitors can select to opt out of this charge if they wish to do so.
“We are delighted to be in a position to partner with Carbon Positive Motorsport,” explained Clerk of Course Wayne Turkington. “Motorsport is widely viewed as a symbol for innovation and adapting to the needs of the community in the current climate. The Ulster Rally organising team want to see the continuation of the rally for generations to come and we need to start acting now to safeguard the future of the event.
“The rally provides a positive impact on the local community during rally week, and we always pride ourselves in leaving the roads, service area and regroups how we found them , and we want to be able to do that with our carbon emissions, by offsetting them and providing a positive impact.
“As part of the organising team, we appreciate the involvement and support from all of the competitors, supporters, sponsors, residents, spectators and councils for backing this initiative.”
The Modern Tyres Ulster Rally gets underway on Friday 18 August 2023. For more information, visit www.ulsterrally.com or on social media.
