The DP World Tour is further strengthening its commitment to environmental responsibility by announcing that all five of its Rolex Series tournaments in 2023 will be carbon neutral and will adopt a consistent and highly credible approach to carbon reduction and climate mitigation.
These five Rolex Series tournaments are the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the Genesis Scottish Open, the BMW PGA Championship and the DP World Tour Championship.
The commitment is made as the 2023 Rolex Series tees off this week, at the start of an historic year in the United Arab Emirates which will be hosting COP28 from November 30 – December 12, shortly after the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
Comprehensive emissions reduction plans are being implemented at each tournament, spanning venue operations and all key aspects of staging and resource consumption, including energy, transportation, materials, catering and infrastructure. Action plans are informed by the carbon emissions baselines produced for the events in 2022.
As part of the wider ‘legacy’ plans for each event, the DP World Tour will take responsibility for all unavoidable core and advanced emissions from all Rolex Series tournaments by contributing to Gold Standard-certified projects that support global efforts to limit global warming and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. This will be complemented with investments in local ecosystem restoration and other low carbon, nature-based legacies with regional partners. The carbon credits and investments are aligned and measured with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to ensure additional social and ecological benefits.
Speaking about the initiative Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour group, said: “Last year we set out our stall with the launch of the European Tour group’s updated sustainability strategy, while also becoming a signatory of the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework. Our focus now turns to credible, scaled and consistent implementation and it is fantastic to see the Rolex Series, the events that showcase the very best of the DP World Tour, leading the way. There is a lot more that we need to do to minimise direct impacts, but we are determined to build this out robustly and incrementally with our partners as we continue our pathway to net zero by 2040. We very much appreciate the support of our delivery partners at GEO Foundation and Gold Standard.”
Margaret Kim, CEO of Gold Standard, added: “I am pleased to see the sustainability efforts being implemented across the five Rolex Series tournaments. Golf has a strong bond with nature and the DP World Tour is aiding in the battle against the climate crisis and making sure that their support benefits communities most affected by climate change. By using Gold Standard certified credits to finance carbon reduction projects after implementing comprehensive emission reduction plans, they are taking responsibility for their environmental impact.”
The global projects being supported across the Rolex Series are based in Africa – ensuring they deliver on global climate justice principles, and direct financing to landscapes and communities most heavily impacted by climate change and ecosystem degradation. These are:
- Hifadhi cookstoves in Kenya – This project will save more than 1 million tons of CO2 over 10 years, improving the livelihoods of local communities, improving health conditions by reducing the inhalation of toxic smoke, and reducing the degradation of the rainforest.
- ADES solar stoves in Madagascar – This project supplies cookers which save up to 50% in charcoal or firewood consumption. They save vulnerable people money, reduce deforestation and reduce emissions.
- Central Mozambique safe water programme (safe water supply) – This project provides safe drinking water sources to hundreds of households in rural areas of Mozambique, reducing the risk of water borne illnesses and the need to boil water for purification, which exposes households to hazardous air pollution. This saves thousands of tonnes of firewood per year and reduces CO2 emissions.
The portfolio of regional projects begins by supporting the mangrove restoration project in the Al Dhafra Region of the UAE.
This announcement builds on progress made in 2022 to reduce the carbon footprint of these events. Key initiatives included switching to biofuels for on-site power generation which reduced emissions by up to 94% compared to diesel alternatives, the roll-out of zero waste to landfill recycling processes, and the introduction of free water refill stations to reduce single use plastic consumption. Initiatives for 2023 will include a greater use of electric vehicles on site; greater proportion of public transport; greater use of solar power; more vegan and vegetarian food stalls; enhanced recycling of infrastructure and spectator materials, and further water efficiency. The scheduling of back-to-back events in the same region is also reducing emissions from player, organiser and supplier transport.
Today’s news is a further step in the Tour’s Green Drive programme and the full Green Drive sustainability strategy can be seen here. Green Drive forms one part of Golf for Good, the Tour’s commitment to Driving Golf Further in an environmentally and socially sustainable way, ensuring it has a positive long-term impact on the courses, countries and the communities visited each season.
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