Vodafone Rally de Portugal and Câmara de Paredes in environmental sustainability action
Just over two months before the Vodafone Rally de Portugal, the Automóvel Club de Portugal and the Municipal Council of Paredes promoted an action to reforest native species, with the help of students from Escola Básica 2/3 de Baltar.
Between May 9th and 12th, the Vodafone Rally de Portugal once again crosses the north and central regions of the country, taking the WRC stars to almost a million fans on some of the most famous stages in the world. But the Automóvel Club de Portugal race is also an international reference in environmental responsibility, consecutively receiving the maximum environmental certification from the FIA since 2017.
This Wednesday, the president of the ACP, Carlos Barbosa, and the president of the Paredes City Council, Paredes City Council,, joined fifty children from Escola Básica 2/3 de Baltar, to help plant 200 native species, on the land adjacent to that school in the municipality of Paredes.
A way to help minimize the environmental impact of the event and a measure that joins several others, highlighted by the International Olympic Committee as a case study, for their good practices.
“Actions like these are fundamental, despite all the measures we have already implemented before, during and after the rally. In most places, 24 hours after the rally passes the grounds are clear. Cars today are hybrids and use synthetic fuels, so there is widespread awareness of the importance of these issues. This was an invitation from Câmara de Paredes, which we supported from the beginning so that together we could help offset the environmental footprint”, stated Carlos Barbosa.
A feeling shared by Alexandre Almeida, president of the municipality: “Associating our Sustainability Week with the rally, with the involvement of the municipality’s children, is extremely important. Fortunately, the audience at the Vodafone Rally de Portugal has shown exemplary behaviour, right down to the collection and separation of waste. This year we will extend our route and have two sections in Paredes, in addition to the Shakedown”, revealed Alexandre Almeida, who also had the opportunity to experience the emotions of a Citroën C3 Rally2, driven by Miguel Barbosa, at the Baltar Kartódromo.
Record economic impact
In 2023, the Portuguese World Rally Championship race once again established itself as the biggest sporting and tourist event held in Portugal. The Vodafone Rally de Portugal had an impact of 164.7 million euros on the national economy, according to a scientific study carried out by the University of Algarve, which monitored the impact of the event since the race’s return to the WRC in 2007. Only tax revenue directly amounted to 21.7 million euros (through VAT and ISP), generated by almost one million live spectators and direct participants in the event.
This year, the 57th edition of the Vodafone Rally de Portugal is the fifth race on the FIA World Championship (WRC) calendar and promises yet another high-level spectacle, both inside and outside the qualifying stages.
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