The Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is Yas Marina Circuit's flagship annual event. Getty Images
The Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is Yas Marina Circuit's flagship annual event. Getty Images
The Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is Yas Marina Circuit's flagship annual event. Getty Images
The Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is Yas Marina Circuit's flagship annual event. Getty Images

Yas Marina Circuit outlines plans for venue and Abu Dhabi GP to be net-zero carbon by 2040


Amith Passela
  • English
  • Arabic

Live updates: Abu Dhabi F1

The UAE was the first country in the Mena region to announce a target of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Since then, it has funded several clean energy projects, including solar, wind and nuclear, in an effort to reduce consumption of gas for electricity production.

Abu Dhabi alone has launched the two-gigawatt Al Dhafra solar power plant, one of the world's largest solar projects, which is expected to power 200,000 homes and reduce the capital's carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2.4 million tonnes a year.

Hence, Yas Marina Circuit’s ambitious plans to ensure the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will also achieve net-zero carbon status as an event and venue by 2040 is part of their ongoing commitment to sustainability.

The circuit is the first in the region to obtain the FIA Three Star Certification, in 2021, in recognition of the environmental performance of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and its commitment to environmental management and its sustainable approach.

“We started this journey a few years ago. We put a sustainable strategy and a policy in place at Yas Marina Circuit,” Saif Al Noaimi, chief executive officer of Ethara, the event management company behind the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, told The National.

“We have annual targets for reducing our carbon footprint as a venue and as an event of the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.”

According to Al Noaimi, Yas Marina Circuit is on target to meet those goals. The track's management have implement initiatives like replacing the lights with LED and looking into sustainable sources of fuel for their generators. They have completed building one megawatt of solar energy at the circuit which is going to cover more than 30 per cent of the annual power needs.

“We have targets and ambitions that by 2040, we will be a carbon neutral venue and event of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, and by 2030, we have a target of having 50 per cent of it completed,” he said.

“We are moving on many fronts. For example, our atmospheric generation infiltration system that converts water from the atmosphere - rain for instance - into clean, bottled water for drinking and other uses.

“We have recycling plants where we recycle anything at the event and we are actually using recycled material to make uniforms for our staff.”

The strategy of the FIA, the governing body for motorsport, is to achieve net-zero carbon emission by 2030.

Saif Al Noaimi, chief executive officer of Ethara, the event management company behind the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Victor Besa / The National
Saif Al Noaimi, chief executive officer of Ethara, the event management company behind the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Victor Besa / The National

They have set ambitious targets and have been working with the teams, race promoters, partners, suppliers, broadcasters, and the FIA to reduce the sport’s carbon footprint.

Some of the initiatives include developing sustainable fuels, considering greener ways to travel to races, and how staff members are dispatched to the circuit.

It is no secret that F1 is a major source of harmful emissions, with its own 2019 sustainability report confirming 256,551 tonnes of CO2 emitted by 10 teams, 20 car units, and 23 racing events across various locations.

However, only 0.7% of those emissions are generated by the racing cars themselves.

The biggest contributor is logistics – the movement of equipment by road, air or sea – which accounts for 45 per cent.

  • Fans during the pitlane walk on the opening day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2023. All photos: Victor Besa / The National
    Fans during the pitlane walk on the opening day of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2023. All photos: Victor Besa / The National
  • Nico Hulkenberg of Haas with fans at the Yas Marina Circuit
    Nico Hulkenberg of Haas with fans at the Yas Marina Circuit
  • Fans during the pitlane walk
    Fans during the pitlane walk
  • Sir Lewis Hamilton arrives for practice sessions
    Sir Lewis Hamilton arrives for practice sessions
  • F1 fans during the pitlane walk
    F1 fans during the pitlane walk
  • Fans gear up for the weekend
    Fans gear up for the weekend
  • It is the season finale
    It is the season finale
  • Ferrari will be looking to end the season on a high
    Ferrari will be looking to end the season on a high

The second largest is business travel which includes all transport and hotels for the F1 teams and major event partners, which contributes 27.7 per cent. The other major contributors are facilities and factories, accounting for 19.3 per cent, and event operations, which contribute 7.3 per cent.

In addition to carbon emissions, F1 events consume large amounts of energy required to power their racetracks, especially for night races.

The Covid-19 outbreak in December 2019 ramped up F1’s sustainability efforts, more so for economic reasons than ecological. It resulted in the ‘cleanest’ F1 events of the past decade as races were mostly limited to Europe and without any spectators present.

“I would say F1 is actually a pioneer in sustainable global sport,” Al Noaimi said.

“They have very ambitious net-zero targets by 2030 and that includes their global travel emissions. They have vocally set a very ambitious target. If you look at the internal combustion engine of an F1 vehicle, it is by far the most efficient engine in the world.”

World Cup League Two

Results

Oman beat Nepal by 18 runs

Oman beat United States by six wickets

Nepal beat United States by 35 runs

Oman beat Nepal by eight wickets

 

Fixtures

Tuesday, Oman v United States

Wednesday, Nepal v United States

 

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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%3Cp%3EAverage%20amount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20at%20DIC%20factory%20every%20month%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EApproximately%20106%2C000%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EAmount%20of%20biofuel%20produced%20from%201%20litre%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%20%3Cstrong%3E920ml%20(92%25)%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETime%20required%20for%20one%20full%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%20used%20cooking%20oil%20to%20biofuel%3A%20%3Cstrong%3EOne%20day%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EEnergy%20requirements%20for%20one%20cycle%20of%20production%20from%201%2C000%20litres%20of%20used%20cooking%20oil%3A%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%E2%96%AA%20Electricity%20-%201.1904%20units%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Water-%2031%20litres%3Cbr%3E%E2%96%AA%20Diesel%20%E2%80%93%2026.275%20litres%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
  • Drones
  • Animals
  • Fireworks/ flares
  • Radios or power banks
  • Laser pointers
  • Glass
  • Selfie sticks/ umbrellas
  • Sharp objects
  • Political flags or banners
  • Bikes, skateboards or scooters

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Expert advice

“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”

Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles

“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”

Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre 

“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”

Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
 

Indoor cricket in a nutshell

Indoor Cricket World Cup – Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai

16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side

8 There are eight players per team

There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.

5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls

Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership

Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.

Zones

A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs

B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run

Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs

Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

Russia's Muslim Heartlands

Dominic Rubin, Oxford

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
Types of policy

Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.

Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.

Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.

Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.

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Updated: November 24, 2023, 7:03 AM