Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg joined five time World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb yesterday to promote a series of environmental initiatives at this weekend’s carbon-neutral Rally Norway event.
Using Citroën’s prototype C4 hybrid WRC car, Loeb drove the Norwegian Prime Minister around the first stage of the rally prior to the official start of the event. This was then followed by a photo shoot to support the FIA’s Make Cars Green campaign.
These initiatives highlight Rally Norway’s latest environmental moves that have turned it into a completely emissions neutral event, setting an example for others in the World Rally Championship. The rally is one of a number of major sporting events around the world to be selected to join the UN’s Climate Neutral Network, an initiative led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to promote global action and involvement towards low-carbon economies and societies.
Jens Stoltenberg, Norwegian Prime Minister, said:
“The solution to the problem of climate change has to be global, but different actors can contribute in order to limit humanly induced climate change. It is important to offset emissions as Rally Norway does. Rally Norway’s environmental approach, combined with hybrid technology sends a signal that motor sport is an important contributor to developing new environmentally-friendly vehicle technology”.
Max Mosley, FIA President, said:
“I can only congratulate Rally Norway on its leading environmental role in the FIA World Rally Championship. Through cutting edge technology and support for important initiatives such as the Make Cars Green campaign, motor sport is showing how seriously it takes the fight against climate change.”
Sébastien Loeb, five time FIA World Rally Champion, said:
“Both Citroën and I are proud to support the FIA’s Make Cars Green campaign. Citroën’s C4 WRC hybrid car is the future of rallying and I am honoured to be associated with such a pioneering team, and to be personally involved in championing these environmental initiatives.”
Even Wiger, Managing Director of Rally Norway, said:
“The Prime Minister values our commitment to environmental causes and can clearly see that the event is positive for Norway’s profile internationally. To have the Prime Minister here in the world’s only rally-hybrid car is just fantastic. It sends a signal that motor sport is a great platform for developing new environmentally-friendly vehicle technology.”
In 2007 Rally Norway took its first steps towards becoming an emissions neutral event by offsetting all direct emissions and this year it has gone further including aspects such as travel and hotel accommodation of teams and spectators. Rally Norway also offered all teams the opportunity to offset their own emissions for the entire WRC season through their partner UN accredited carbon credit scheme.
Stoltenberg’s backing of Make Cars Green adds another name to an ever growing list of high level supporters of the campaign. Launched on World Environment Day 2008 alongside the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the campaign has continued to gain momentum, and is actively supported by the FIA’s global membership of 224 motoring club and sporting federations who are conducting environmental initiatives in their own regions around the world.
Oslo, 13 February, 2009
Campaign media links
Documents
Click here to download the Make Cars Green declaration, adopted by FIA clubs at the FIA General Assembly in 2007.
Click here for the Ten Points for Greener Motoring leaflet in French.
Click here for the Ten Points for Greener Motoring leaflet in Norwegian.
Click here to download Formula for the Environment, a new environmental publication which outlines FIA initiatives for promoting environmental sustainability on the road and on the track.
Sites
www.makecarsgreen.com
www.facebook.com (Group: Make Cars Green)
