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Jeddah - Yasmine El Tohamy - LONDON: Formula E and UNICEF have announced their ground-breaking partnership has benefitted more than 2.5 million children and young people globally since its launch in 2021.

Formula E, the world’s first sport to be certified net zero for carbon emissions since its inception, was the first international sports organization to partner with UNICEF to tackle climate change.

Through investment in UNICEF’s climate programs as part of the Safe and Healthy Environment Fund, the collaboration focuses on helping to create a planet where every child can live in a safe, clean and sustainable environment.

This is achieved by ensuring the services children rely on — such as education and healthcare — are resilient and that young people are empowered through knowledge and skills building to take climate action.

Examples of localized initiatives funded by the partnership include bespoke climate change education training in the Caribbean for more than 50,000 people as well as rainwater capture and purification systems in schools across three Mexican states, positively impacting more than 17,000 students and their local villages.

More than 1.8 million children and young people were helped by UNICEF’s Safe and Healthy Environment Fund in the first full year of the partnership with Formula E in 2022.

Formula E and UNICEF’s partnership contributes towards UNICEF’s climate work for children and supports holistic climate programs around the world, ranging from those that turn plastic waste into schools, installing solar panels and training local manufacturers to make eco-cooking stoves.

“We are proud to see our partnership with UNICEF is having a powerful and meaningful impact on children and young people all around the world,” Julia Palle, director of sustainability at Formula E, said.

“As a leader in sustainability, it’s not just the planet that we look to protect but its people too,” Palle added. “With one billion children already at extreme risk from the impacts of climate change, we need to ensure they have the best support possible as well as the right education as they grow up. They will be the ones inheriting the world and influencing change so we’re pleased to be involved in their education and investing in their communities.”

Gautam Narasimhan, global lead for climate, energy and environment at UNICEF, said: “Children are bearing the brunt of the impacts of climate change — and children living in fragile countries and vulnerable communities are being hit the hardest. Today, one billion children are already at extremely high risk from the impacts of climate change.

“As the first global sport organization to support UNICEF’s climate programs, Formula E continues to help us raise awareness and provides vital funds for children around the world, helping transform the lives of children and their families.”