Compensating for the CO₂e footprint of the 2024 marathon, a new Rimi Riga Marathon forest has been planted!
18 April 2024Over the weekend in the “Riga Forests” territory near Riga, Ropaži municipality, 3750 spruce trees were planted, forming a new forest cover on a 1.5-hectare area and preemptively offsetting a portion of the CO₂e footprint generated by the 2024 marathon. Anticipating a significant increase in the number of participants in this year’s Rimi Riga Marathon, and consequently a substantial increase in the marathon’s carbon footprint, we have doubled the size of the forest cover established under the sustainability program “Run for Future by Neste” this year.
Thanks to the sustainability program “Run for Future by Neste,” the Rimi Riga Marathon in 2022 became the first event in the history of Baltic popular sports and mass events to initiate the tradition of calculating and offsetting the CO₂ footprint of the Rimi Riga Marathon in Riga, actively involving the running community in education. Sustainability audits have been conducted for the third year in a row at this year’s marathon, calculating the carbon footprint generated by the event and fully offsetting it in Riga and its surroundings.
Over the weekend, the forest planted in the Ropaži municipality is the first practical step to prematurely offset the carbon footprint generated by the 2024 marathon. 3750 spruce trees were planted on a 1.5-hectare agricultural land area, where the Jugla forestry has been dealing with the spread of invasive cow parsnip for several years. By planting the land with firs and regularly maintaining them, shade will be provided in the coming years, creating the Rimi Riga Marathon forest and reducing the spread of cow parsnip.
We, Neste Latvia, believe that sustainability is not just an empty word - it is a commitment to act, because we can take practical steps to care for the environment we leave for future generations. Therefore, we are pleased to have the opportunity to plant 3750 spruce trees shoulder to shoulder with marathon participants, to set a positive example and to offset part of the carbon footprint created by the marathon in advance. This forest planting event was just the first of the initiatives of the "Run for Future by Neste" program this year. As the marathon approaches, we will continue to educate runners about sustainability and opportunities to reduce and offset their individual carbon footprint, and after the event, we will accurately calculate the total footprint generated by this year's marathon and offset the remaining footprint in the city of Riga.
Armands Beiziķis
Chairman of the Board, Neste Latvia
THE OPPORTUNITY TO COMPENSATE INDIVIDUAL CARBON FOOTPRINTS
We’ve also provided the opportunity for each participant to individually compensate their footprint when registering for the Rimi Riga Marathon. In 2024, nearly 400 participants have already compensated their individual footprints upon registration, with some companies even offsetting the carbon footprint of all their employees participating in the marathon. We encourage everyone to be responsible and environmentally friendly both in everyday life and during the marathon, and to compensate for their footprint themselves through the registration system. It is possible to compensate for your individual footprint in your marathon profile even if the participant has already registered for the marathon.
We are delighted that tree planting with the Rimi Riga Marathon team has become a tradition, and this initiative, with each passing year, attracts an increasingly substantial number of enthusiastic volunteers. The time spent in the fresh air and the planted forest are excellent team-building activities. Thanks to the Rimi Riga Marathon for the initiative, which inspires other individuals and companies to care for the environment we leave for future generations!
Andris Upenieks
“Riga Forests” Juglas region forester
PREDICTED INCREASE IN CARBON FOOTPRINT
Although the carbon footprint per participant in the Rimi Riga Marathon decreased last year, the overall footprint of the Rimi Riga Marathon continued to grow, mainly due to the increasing number of foreign participants. As known, the majority of foreign runners arrive in Riga by air transport, thereby influencing the overall carbon footprint. Organizers predict that there will also be a significant increase in the number of participants, especially foreign participants, this year, resulting in the carbon footprint for 2024 exceeding that of 2023.
The total carbon footprint of the Rimi Riga Marathon 2024, calculated in the “Run for Future by Neste” program, as well as other activities planned for carbon offsetting in the city of Riga, will be announced after the Rimi Riga Marathon.