The Tour de France takes the ARO —avoid-reduce-offset— approach in its drive to reduce its carbon footprint.
The first carbon audit of the Tour de France was carried out for the 2013 edition. The aim was to evaluate and measure the event's carbon footprint in order to draw up a rational and ambitious roadmap for the continuation of the first environmental actions put in place a few years earlier.
In 2021, we conducted a new audit based on the exact same methods as in 2013. A comparison of the results shows that emissions have fallen by close to 37% (direct emissions) since 2013 to a level of 216,388 CO₂e across the three scopes.
As with other sports events, it comes as no surprise that spectators and TV viewers are responsible for the lion's share of emissions.
Another data point not reflected in the audit are the Tour de France's mass communication campaigns as part of its "Riding into the Future" programme. The Tour de France moves heaven and earth to:
- inspire everyone who can to bring cycling into their lives and slash their carbon footprints on a daily basis and
- encourage members of the public to make the "green choice" (cycling, carpooling, regional trains or public transportation) when travelling to the Tour de France.
In the coming years, the Tour de France will continue to pursue an assertive policy to keep reducing its direct and indirect emissions, in line with the goals of the Paris Agreement (COP21), with a focus on encouraging all stakeholders to switch to more and more sustainable mobility choices.
The residual direct emissions of the Tour de France (organisation, teams, partners and media) are fully offset every year through the "Label Bas Carbone" programmes of the French Ministry of Ecological Transition.
Since 2021, the Centre National de la Propriété Forestière has been chosen to set up carbon offset schemes linked to the route of the current year and/or iconic sites that the race goes through.
Centre national de la Propriété Forestière (CNPF)
These schemes offer additional co-benefits beyond carbon sequestration:
- calling upon local labour for work;
- sustainable management (PEFC-certified owners, etc.);
- soil conservation (prevention of erosion, etc.);
- protection and introduction of biodiversity; and
- environmental enhancement, increased forest cover, etc.
The CNPF, Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift have teamed up to take carbon offset projects from paper to reality. 18 departments in yellow and orange, 24 programs have benefited from post-forest dieback afforestation and reforestation projects, which are expected to be carbon-negative over a 30-year horizon.
Five "Label Bas Carbone" schemes validated by the French Ministry of Ecological Transition put in place on the route of the 2022 Tour de France.
