How Extreme E is championing the health of our planet on World Environment Day
World Environment Day puts a global spotlight on the pressing environmental challenges of our times. Held annually on 5 June, it brings together millions of people from across the globe, engaging them in the effort to protect and restore the Earth.
Extreme E continues to highlight the impact of climate change in some of the world’s most endangered locations by minimising its environmental impact while maximising awareness, racing in places that have already been damaged or affected by climate change or human interference, and taking fans deep into the heart of the most pressing issues facing our planet’s future. The championship also races in locations where sustainable solutions are in place or development, such as Uruguay where 98 per cent of the country’s electricity generation originates from renewable sources.
Our impact extends far beyond the race track through our Legacy Programmes. As such, we are dedicated to addressing ecological challenges prevalent in our race locations, and supporting communities impacted most by the negative consequences of climate change. In collaboration with local organisations across each of our race locations, we support initiatives that empower communities and raise awareness of climate and conservation-related issues impacting local areas.
Under this year’s World Environment Day theme #GenerationRestoration, the series’ legacy programme initiative in the Amazon rainforest is best reflective of this. Through its historical work with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Extreme E has been at the forefront of combatting deforestation through sustainable agricultural practices and native forest restoration.
Extreme E’s commitment to environmental sustainability has been exemplified through its support of TNC’s Forest Cocoa project. This initiative focused on a cacao-based agroforestry programme that empowers local farmers with the resources and technical expertise needed to integrate agroforestry into their land management practices. By supporting roughly 140 hectares of cacao-based agroforestry within the broader 1,065-hectare Forest Cocoa project, Extreme E has supported a substantial contribution to the region’s ecological health. Through this initiative, Extreme E supported 50 smallholder families in the Amazon, addressing a critical driver of deforestation, the agricultural sector.
Agroforestry, the practice of growing food crops alongside native trees, is a powerful tool for maintaining and regenerating soil health, capturing carbon, and providing wildlife habitats. In the Amazon, where cocoa trees are native and thrive under forest canopy, this approach not only restores degraded lands but also enhances farmers’ livelihoods by enabling the production of higher-value commodity beans.
The series’ commitment to the Amazon has not wavered despite not yet hosting a race in the country. The intention remains to hold races in the Amazon to draw global attention to both the severe impacts of deforestation and the innovative solutions being implemented on the ground.
The NEOM McLaren Extreme E Team, as part of McLaren Racing, has also committed to a project that addresses the impacts of climate change in the Amazon. As part of their Climate Contribution Programme, the team is collaborating with Mombak, an organisation based in Brazil, who are working to rebuild the Amazon rainforest by developing high-integrity and large-scale carbon removal projects, reforesting degraded pastureland using native and biodiverse tree species.
In addition to Mombak, McLaren is working with the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, an Australian non-profit focused on scaling solutions that restore and enhance the resilience of coral reefs and ocean habitats, and UNDO, a world-leading carbon dioxide removal project specialising in enhanced rock weathering, a nature-enabled technology that permanently removes CO₂ from the atmosphere while enriching soil health.
Dr. Francisco Oliveira, from the championship’s Scientific Committee, said: “We are at a crucial moment regarding climate change in terms of what the planet is experiencing and its consequences. It is happening right now, with more extreme events happening more frequently in different regions of the world. We need to conserve what natural environments we still have and restore what is necessary for the balance of the planet.
“The Amazon is approaching a tipping point, where the forests could undergo an irreversible process of savannisation. This will have consequences for global, regional and local systems. Restoration is necessary and, according to the United Nations, we are in the decade of restoration. This restoration project we've developed in the Amazon shows that collaborations between the likes of Extreme E, TNC and local producers are fundamental and necessary for maintaining the forest and the people who live and depend on it. Together we can do much more.”
As Extreme E continues to innovate in sustainable motorsport, its legacy initiatives reinforce the message that proactive, collaborative efforts can drive significant positive change. On this World Environment Day, Extreme E reiterates its commitment to protecting our planet’s precious ecosystems and fostering a sustainable future for all.
