Ahead of the milestone 15th edition of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Ethara has announced the recertification of its FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation as part of Yas Marina Circuit’s ongoing sustainability progress in 2023.

The certification was extended ahead of the 2023 season finale in recognition of the event’s environmental performance and its continued environmental management and sustainability evolution.  

Building on previous achievements, Ethara has unveiled a raft of new green initiatives at Yas Marina Circuit for this year’s #AbuDhabiGP, including a 100% upgrade of all track lights. With a switch to LEDs and brand-new RGBW track lights, the new system has reduced the number of lighting fixtures by 17%, power consumption by 40%, and carbon emissions by 30%. 

This year will see fan-favourite venue Abu Dhabi Hill again being fully powered by a 75kW panel and battery storage solution, following the system’s introduction in 2022, said the organisers.

Ethara has also installed its first solar-powered car park, with a capacity of 1 MW.  When the system goes live in the first quarter of next year, it will provide an average of up to 40% of daytime power consumption throughout the year. 

Other green measures include all staff uniforms made from recycled plastics, a ‘plastic-free’ environment at the Media Centre, Paddock and Pit Lane as well as Team Villas. 

The environmental certification of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is fully in line with the Formula 1 environmental sustainability plan, which should enable the championship to reduce its carbon footprint, hosting sustainable events by 2025 and becoming Net-Zero Carbon by 2030.  

In 2022, Ethara become a signatory to the United Nations Sports for Climate Action (UNS4CA), and, via a range of sustainable initiatives and programmes, will work to achieve Net Zero Greenhouse Gases and Emissions certification by the year 2040. The organisation also achieved ISO 14001 and ISO 20121 accreditation status this year for its Environmental Management and Sustainable Event Management Systems.

Ethara has, as a result, become the only circuit operator in the region to currently hold ISO 14001 and ISO 20121 accreditation status, FIA Three-Star rating, and be a signatory on the UN’s Sport for Action Climate Framework, making it a leader in its commitment to sustainability in the events and venues sector. 

Saif Rashid Al Noaimi, CEO, Ethara, said: “We are delighted to have been recertified by the FIA for our range of environmental management efforts, providing global recognition of our ongoing work across the whole Yas Marina Circuit community.  

“The award is another key milestone in our journey to net-zero operations, driven by innovative low-carbon solutions. We look forward to showcasing our practices on a global stage and to our record crowds at our greenest ever edition of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.” – TradeArabia News Service