ABSTRACT
This article seeks to examine motorsport through the lens of environmental sustainability, a critical endeavour in light of global concerns regarding the environmental impact of human activities.
INTRODUCTION
Motor Sport
The definition offered by Angus, Aylett, Henryand Jenkins (2007) will be used here:
“We define motorsport broadly as competitive racing by equivalent machines on a frequent basis, on designated tracks and circuits. These machines include motorcycles, motocross, karts, historic cars, drag, open-wheel, single-seat, sports, GT, Formula Ford, touring cars, rallying, sports compact, CART, IRL and Formula One."
Sustainability
Simon Dresner highlights the emergence of the concept of sustainability around five decades ago (Dresner, 2002, p. 1). Meanwhile, Andres Edwards attributes its roots to the environmental movement of the 1960s and 1970s, tracing its origins back to the 1800s' New England transcendentalist movement in the United States, which focused on the interconnectedness between humans and nature (Edwards, 2005, p. 11).
Wilkinson and Yencken (2000) contend that sustainability is underpinned by three core pillars: "ecological sustainability," "social sustainability," and "economic sustainability" (p. 9). They additionally emphasize the importance of acknowledging a fourth pillar, which they term "cultural sustainability."
HOW MOTORSPORT CONTRIBUTES TO CLIMATE CHANGE
With global warming becoming a more serious issue by the day, it has become a moral obligation for us as people to make an effort to help offset the damages being done to our planet. With respective sports finding their own ways to help, the motor sport industry is no different.
In recent years motorsports have taken big steps towards making their sport more sustainable, with measures including a shift away from harmful fossil fuels.
One of the main challenges in motorsports is the heavy reliance on fossil fuels. Traditional motorsport events, such as car and motorcycle races, typically use large amounts of petrol and other fossil fuels, which generate significant emissions and contribute to air pollution (Solarstone, Dec 16).
THE EXISTING AND RECOMMENDED MOTOR SPORT CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION EFFORTS.
1) Lowes and Tranter's analysis of Motor Sports events staged in Australia highlight the development of "safety measures" such as impact protection and reduced emissions through improved engine technology (Lowes and Tranter, 2007).
2) International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (IOMVM) have identified a range of alternative fuels for motor vehicles such as biodiesel, hydrogen and some natural gases that do not combust (Millikin, 2008).
3) Another embracing of more eco-friendly technologies for Motor Sports is proposed by Green Car Congress . A mechanical kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) currently under development. It's claimed that it can recover 400kilojoules of lost energy per lap. They believe KERS represent a more compact, lighter and eco-friendly approach than electric batteries (Millikin, 2007).
4) Another attempt to make Motor Sports adapt environmentally is the "Imperial Racing Green Project" at Imperial College in London (Williams, 2008). The project is aimed to design, build and race a zero-emission electric hybrid fuel cell racing car (Williams, 2008).
OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN MOTOR SPORT.
Motor sport has historically been associated with environmental concerns due to its carbon footprint and resource consumption. However, in recent years, the industry has been making significant strides towards sustainability. Some key opportunities for sustainability in motor sport include:
1. Technology Innovation: Utilizing renewable energy sources and developing more efficient engines can reduce carbon emissions and reliance on fossil fuels.
2. Alternative Fuels.
3. Circular Economy and Recycling.
4. Carbon Offsetting and Neutralization: Offsetting carbon emissions through investments in environmental projects (Solar powered amenities, e.g) can help motor sport become carbon-neutral.
5. Sustainable Event Management: Incorporating sustainable practices in event planning, such as waste reduction and efficient transportation.
CALL TO ACTION
1. Advocate for Policy Changes: Encourage the development and implementation of regulations that promote sustainability within the motor sport industry.
2. Support Sustainable Initiatives: Rally behind organizations and teams that prioritize sustainability, endorsing eco-friendly practices, and advocating for their wider adoption.
3. Raise Awareness: Share information about the positive impact of sustainability initiatives in motor sport with fellow enthusiasts and the public to foster a collective commitment to greener practices.
4. Invest in Sustainable Technologies: Support research and development of sustainable technologies and innovations in motor sport.
5. Engage with Industry Stakeholders: Engage with motor sport organizations, teams, and sponsors to express the importance of sustainability, urging them to integrate green practices into their operations and events.
REFERENCES
Dingle, Greg, Sustaining the Race: A Review of Literature Pertaining to the Environmental Sustainability of Motorsport (October 1, 2009). International Journal of Sport Marketing and Sponsorship 2019,Angus, T., Aylett, C., Henry, N. & Jenkins, M. (2007). Motorsport Going Global: The Challenges Facing the World’s Motorsport Industry. Palgrave-MacMillan: Hampshire, UK.
Robeers, T. (2019). “We go green in Beijing”: situating live television, urban motor sport and environmental sustainability by means of a framing analysis of TV broadcasts of Formula E. Sport in Society, 22(12), 2089–2103. doi:10.1080/17430437.2018.1558212
Cox, R. 2012. Environmental Communication and the Public Sphere. London: Sage Publications Haase-Reed, A., M. Kushin, and T. Koeppel. 2007. “Framing the ELF: an Exploration of Media Representation and Self-representation of a Social Movement Organization.” Annual meeting of the NCA 93rd Annual Convention
Lowes, M. and Tranter, P., (2007), ‘Communicating Urban Values Through Megasport Events: The Case of Australia’s “High Performance” Cities, in Gibson, T.A. and Lowes, M. (Eds.), Urban Communication: Production, Text, Context, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc., London, U.K.
Cogan, R., (2008), ‘Tom LaSorda speaks out’, in Green Car Journal, [online], Hillclimb Media, San Luis Obispo, CA, USA, viewed July 2nd, 2008, http://www.greencar.com/index.cfm?content=dialogue9
Millikin, M., (Ed.), (2007b), ‘FIA responds positively to Oaktec E85 Hybrid Rally Car’, in Green Car Congress, [online], Bio Age Group, February 6th, viewed November 4th, 2007, http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/02/fia_responds_po.html
Millikin, M., (Ed.), (2008), Green Car Congress, ‘Toyota hybrid race car wins Tokachi 24-hour race: In-wheel motors and supercapacitors’, in Green Car Congress, [online], Bio Age Group, viewed January 15th 2008, http://www.greencarcongress.com/2007/07/toyota-hybrid-r.html
Williams, R., [radio presenter], (2008), ‘Imperial Racing Green’, [online transcript of radio broadcast] on The Science Show [radio program], Australian Broadcasting Corporation, October 13th, Sydney, viewed July 2nd, 2008, http://www.abc.net.au/rn/scienceshow/stories/2007/2058218.htm
Article By:
GSAM Aanu ALUGBIN
Muhammad AYUBA
Damilola OLUGBEMI
Nafisat OLAOMI
Adebola ADEMIKORE
Maryam ABIDOYE
Chidera EZE
Of
The Motor Sport Green Switch Academy Group,
Plogging Nigeria’s Green Switch Academy,
24th Cohort.
0 Comments