The acciona Open de España presented by Madrid is playing a key role on the DP World Tour in reducing carbon emissions with a wide range of sustainability commitments and actions.
In 2021, the event measured and reduced its carbon footprint - and was the first tournament on the DP World Tour to offset its unavoidable emissions - and this year continues to make significant steps in aspiring to be climate neutral.
Other events, such as the Genesis Scottish Open and BMW PGA Championship, are similarly taking responsibility for their carbon footprint as part of the Green Drive strategy.
Last year’s acciona Open de España presented by Madrid was carbon neutral, since emissions were minimised and those that are unavoidable were offset, as recognised by Emission Reduction Certificates granted by the United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change.
This year, we will be implementing a catalogue of sustainable measures that will ensure the event is sustainable from start to finish. We have sought to go one step further with the planting of trees in the Community of Madrid that will absorb the equivalent of the CO₂ emitted.
What did we do in 2021?
• The planting of 4,000 trees in Dehesa de la Villa in order to generate a positive and permanent impact on the environment in the city of Madrid. This new forest cover will absorb 300 tonnes of CO₂ over the next 30 years. The total area of the plantation was 1.1 hectares.
• The ‘Emissions under par’ prizes were awarded to Rafa Cabrera-Bello (first), Adri Arnaus (second) and Shubhankar Sharma, Julien Guerrier and Grant Forrest (third).
• Planting of 1,000 trees at the headquarters of the Real Federación Española de Golf (RFEG) in Madrid to more than offset the annual emissions of the golfers that finished in the top 3 of the 2021 ACCIONA Open de España.
• Over 40 electric and hybrid BMW vehicles for the official transport service.
• Water in aluminium cans, which are infinitely recyclable.
• Zero smoke emissions from the public food stalls, where over 90% of the 130 items available did not require cooking.
• All tarpaulin at the event was PVC-free and the inks used were eco-latex.
• Mahou provided 12 ecological parasols whose environmental benefit is the equivalent of that of 24 trees.
What will we do in 2022?
Simply reducing the social and environmental damage caused by the economic activity of a sports tournament designed for the long-term viability of the economy, and even that of civilisation as a whole, is not enough.
We want to be more than just a zero-emissions event. Therefore, we will generate a positive impact through solutions based on nature and the proliferation of biodiversity, seeking social involvement through initiatives in environmental education at Club de Campo de la Villa de Madrid.
To do this, we will be implementing a catalogue of sustainable solutions that will ensure the event is sustainable from start to finish.
• The promotion of sustainability at the event through information points with relevant sustainability data
• Alliances with sponsors to find sustainable solutions.
• Sustainable merchandising
• More charging points
• Plan for the reforestation or restoration of the surrounding habitat through regenerative/positive design, including its maintenance and the generation of biodiversity
• The entire fleet of cars is 100% electric
• Plastic has been eliminated
• ACCIONA Emissions Below Par prize (for the winner). Offsetting the winner’s carbon footprint for 10 years The promotion of sustainability at the event through information points with relevant sustainability data
