ENVIRONMENT - Rally Italia Sardegna 2023

Rally Italia Sardegna and enviromental impact

Automobile Club d’Italia is continuing its commitment to promoting and implementing initiatives aimed at minimizing the ecological footprint of the Rally Italia Sardegna event, in the protection, respect, and dissemination of good environmental safeguard practices.

The project of the Automobile Club d’Italia, ACI Sport and the Rally Italia with the support of the Automobile Club di Sassari for more effective translation of activities in the area, will also involve the collaboration of the Municipality of Olbia, the Regional Forestry Agency for the Development of the Territory and the Environment of Sardinia (FO.RE.S.T.A.S) and the Provincial Industrial Consortium of Northeast Sardinia-Gallura (CIPNES).

This was discussed today in Tempio Pausania, at the FO.RE.S.T.A.S Agency headquarters, in an important press conference between the organizers of the Rally Italia Sardegna, the mayors of the territory where the world rally takes place (Aglientu, Alà dei Sardi, Arzachena, Buddusò, Loiri Porto San Paolo, Olbia, Oschiri, Ozieri, Padru, Pattada, Tempio Pausania, Tula, Erula and Bortigiadas), the regional councillors for Environment, Tourism and Sports of the Region of Sardinia.

The most prominent initiative will be the planting of 400 maritime pine and holm oak trees made available through collaboration with FO.RE.S.T.A.S, aimed at zeroing out the ecological footprint generated by the event. According to a detailed study conducted by the Technical Professional Area of the Automobile Club d’Italia, the CO2 emission of race cars reaches 35 tons considering the data from the 2018-2020 editions. The number of tree species to be planted has been calculated based on this study. The reforestation area will be a former consortium landfill owned by CIPNES, closed in 1991, located inland from the Gulf of Olbia in the locality of Spiritu Santu. The redevelopment will take place during the year, but during race week, a symbolic moment will be organized in which some of the WRC drivers will participate in planting the first tree.

Giovanni Caria, the Extraordinary Commissioner of FO.RE.S.T.A.S., opened today's meeting by highlighting how "the Rally Italia Sardegna passes through the sites and areas of FO.RE.S.T.A.S., thus carrying out a work of valorization of our forest territory." Andrea Biancareddu, Regional Councillor for Public Education, Cultural Heritage, Information, Entertainment and Sport of the Sardinia Region, recalled that "the World Rally Championship is a showcase of great prestige, with a very high percentage of fans who come to see it from all over the world." Regional Tourism Councillor Giovanni Chessa added that "a world rally is an international event that takes place in the low season and gives great promotion to Sardinia both in terms of image and economic impact." Environmental Defence Councillor Marco Porcu underlined that "there are 15 municipalities involved, giving the territories and structures of FO.RE.S.T.A.S. the opportunity to become known worldwide. The rally is a driving force in this regard, as its images enhance our territory, seasonally adjusting tourism. The environment is protected with compatible choices, and I am pleased that FO.RE.S.T.A.S. is directly involved in all of this."

"This is an initiative strongly desired by ACI," commented Luigi Di Matteo, Coordinator of the Technical Professional Area of the Automobile Club d’Italia, "which is part of a plan to improve the actions taken in compliance with the guidelines of the FIA's Environmental Accreditation Programme, which has already awarded Rally Italia Sardegna the three stars, the highest recognition, starting from 2018".

RIS Green will not be limited to redevelopment work. In fact, a series of awareness-raising actions are planned for the dissemination of sustainable alternative energies and new responsible lifestyles, involving the Automobile Club di Sassari in the territory. One of these is "WRC in Schools," a series of meetings organized in local schools concerning road safety, environmental education and approaching sports. In addition, there will be the organization of theoretical-practical training courses and a dissemination meeting reserved for local administrators, all focused on environmental issues. There will also be actions aimed at reducing waste production during the rally weekend, which will allow sensitization of the entire community revolving around the rally.

"As the Automobile Club of Sassari, we have enthusiastically accepted the collaboration within the RIS Green project linked to the World Rally Championship stage in Sardinia," commented the President of the Automobile Club of Sassari, Giulio Pes from San Vittorio. "What gives me the greatest satisfaction is the huge demand from schools and municipalities that want to host a date of our 'WRC in Schools' project."

"With 'WRC in Schools' the educational activities continue in schools," added Alberto Marrone, Director of the Automobile Club of Sassari. "Regarding sustainable mobility, a theoretical-practical course based on specific techniques is planned for the optimal use and maximization of the autonomy of electric vehicles with the collaboration of the Provincial Industrial Consortium North East Sardinia (CIPNES). There will also be a summit on Renewable Energy Communities and on the choices of municipal administrations regarding the installation of charging stations for electric vehicles. In this regard, the project started by the Mater Olbia Hospital will be highlighted."