Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya has been awarded for the third time with the FIM Environmental Award 2019 for the project for the improvement of the biodiversity in one of its green areas, the forest in the Crater area. The result of the action was shown during the Gran Premi Monster Energy de Catalunya de MotoGP™ 2019 and counted on the collaboration of Marc Márquez.
With this award, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) recognises institutions of the world of motorsports that contribute to the preservation of the environment and to create sustainability awareness, an award that was already presented to the Circuit in 2012 for the project “Green Meeting Point” and in 2016 for the programme “KISS (Keep It Shiny & Sustainable) Barcelona”.
This time, the efforts were focussed on improving the biodiversity in a first area of action of the total 24 hectares of forest in the Circuit. Thanks also to the help of the sustainable forest management company Social Forest, several actions were performed, such as an inventory of the health condition of the trees; trimming of the pine trees; felling of eucalyptus, as well as other sanitary and improvement felling, planting of native trees, as well as the elimination of invasive species.
This initiative is the result of a circular funding generated by means of sustainable circular economy actions. With the income achieved by selling reusable, non-returned cups during the last season, the Barcelona racetrack was able to fund the project. Moreover, it is an educational forest, which was inaugurated with the collaboration of Marc Márquez within the framework of the Catalan GP. An insect hotel was set-up in the Crater forest area, together with a group of schoolchildren from a local school.
“We are very thankful to the FIM for the award, but also very grateful to the whole team working for sustainability at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, and especially to Primi, their leader”, has stated Joan Fontserè, Circuit’s general manager.
As shown by these and several other recognitions received along the years, such as the Certificate of Excellence by the FIA or the recognition by the Spanish Motorsport Federation or the Olympic Committee, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is an institution that is committed to the environment, to sustainability, and has positioned itself as an international awareness raising platform with its activities and actions. “Conscience, Commitment and Coherence” is the clear message of the 3C management of CirCuitCat, which received the environmental management certification according to ISO 14001-2004 back in 2008, for its efforts in order to reduce the environmental impact of the facilities and to reduce the CO2 footprint.