In 2022, WRC exemplified its dedication to steering towards a
more sustainable future by becoming the first FIA World Championship to adopt
100 per cent sustainable fuels. This remarkable feat was coupled with the
introduction of pioneering hybrid-powered Rally1 vehicles.
However,
future-proofing rallying goes beyond more sustainable vehicles. With WRC and
ERC events taking place in the natural environment, the practice of rallying
holds a close connection with and an interest in securing healthy and
well-preserved ecosystems, thus WRC Promoter´s commitment toward UNESCO World
Heritage Sites for their outstanding universal value and foundation for
ecosystems and biodiversity conservation.
In
its capacity to formulate the WRC and ERC calendars, as well as its regulatory
right of approval over event itineraries, WRC Promoter commits to not
negatively impacting current and future designated natural and mixed UNESCO
World Heritage Sites and their attached buffer zones.
Furthermore, by recognising both the potential negative impacts
of sporting events and the ability of UNESCO World Heritage Sites to support
sustainable development, WRC Promoter commits to implement, in current and
future WRC and ERC events, a nature management tool – comprising of an impact
and spatial risk assessment– when a competition activity takes place at a
natural or mixed UNESCO World Heritage Site and/or their buffer zones.
Only
competition activities at natural or mixed UNESCO World Heritage Sites that can
demonstrate appropriate management against adverse impacts on their outstanding
universal value will be maintained as part of the sporting itinerary of WRC and
ERC events.
WRC
Promoter also intends to raise awareness among spectators and other motorsport
stakeholders on the importance and relevance of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and
encourage the wider sport sector to work towards avoiding negative impacts on
these sites and their buffer zones.
WRC Promoter Managing Director Jona Siebel said of the
commitment: “As championships, the WRC and ERC traverse some of the most
diverse and unique places in the world, relaying imagery around the globe of
the incredible beauty we live in. Protecting the outstanding universal value of
UNESCO World Heritage Sites through best practices, and educating our fans is
integral to future-proofing our sport.”
For
its part, the Director of UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Mr. Lazare Eloundou
Assomo, commented on WRC Promoter´s pledge: “Protecting UNESCO World Heritage
sites for present and future generations is a shared responsibility. We warmly
welcome the landmark commitment by WRC Promoter, the first motorsport
stakeholder to pledge for the protection of UNESCO World Heritage sites. By
taking this commitment, WRC Promoter recognises its responsibility to ensure
these unique but fragile sites are not impacted by their sports events. We hope
that this commitment will inspire other sports stakeholders to take similar
steps.”
Head
of Heritage and Culture at the International Union for Conservation of Nature
(IUCN), Tim Badman added: “We are pleased that WRC Promoter is joining in the
recognition of the shared responsibility in conserving the world’s most iconic
places. This is an important step for the motorsports industry and sports more
broadly to ensure they can continue to be enjoyed without harming our heritage.”
WRC Promoter will assess the necessary steps and work closely
with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and its advisory bodies (International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), International Council on Monuments and
Sites (ICOMOS), and International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and
Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM)) in order to expand its commitment to
cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
WRC
Promoter will work in synergy with all WRC and ERC event organisers in the
implementation mechanisms of this commitment.
Portugal
Spain
France
