East Riding Stages Rally sets a new Carbon Offsetting Record

May 26, 2023

The 2023 East Riding Stages Rally officially offset 51 tonnes of CO2e - the most of any UK rally to date.

In 2022 the East Riding Stages was the first UK rally to offer competitors the opportunity to offset their emissions from their fuel usage. Using Carbon Positive Motorsport's services for the second year, the rally has offset all emissions created from registered spectator travel, as well as those created by the 147 competitors and from the organiser's vehicles.

Photo of David Henderson / Chris Lees thanks to JEP

The offset of 51 tonnes of CO2e for the 2023 rally forms part of the event's continuing environmental roadmap as it works towards mitigating its carbon footprint.

The rally is also the first in the UK to use the latest carbon offsetting project in Carbon Positive Motorsport's portfolio. The new project, the Blue Slate Wood, comprises a permanent and diverse native broadleaf planting scheme in Lancashire, undertaken in partnership with Highland Carbon and The River Ribble Trust.

Woodland along the river Ribble. Photo Matt Turner / Shutterstock

Richard Vincent, the rally's Event Director, said, "We are very happy to have offset the emissions for this year's event using an English woodland project, that not only captures carbon but also helps to reduce pollution and increase biodiversity.

"To mitigate as much of our environmental impact as possible, we offset the emissions for all 147 competitors and our organisers vehicles. It was also crucial that spectators registered on our website, allowing us to calculate the distance they travelled to the event. This allowed us to take their average fuel consumption into account and ensure we allocated a valid offsetting level.

"The East Riding Stages is proud to be leading the way towards making motorsport more sustainable. For the 2024 event we will continue to explore more ways of reducing our impact on the environment together with Carbon Positive Motorsport."

Paul Glass, founder of Carbon Positive Motorsport added, "We are extremely proud to support Beverley& District Motor Club's environmental plans, and to be able to offer our latest high-quality project in England to help mitigate their unavoidable carbon footprint. Such projects are very scarce but are so important, because they bring a greater level of regional relevance."

Richard Vincent added, "We are delighted that our competitors and spectators support our event's belief that everyone should be embracing carbon offsetting. As a committee, we believe that we need to take a proactive approach to cement our sport's future for many years to come."

Next year's East Riding Stages Rally will take place on 25 February 2024.

Find out more at www.bdmc.org.uk/east-riding-stages