The Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift takes the ARO —avoid-reduce-offset— approach in its drive to reduce its carbon footprint.
A carbon audit was already carried out for the first edition. The aim was to evaluate and measure the event's carbon footprint in order to draw up a rational and ambitious roadmap for environmental actions to be put in place in the near future.
In the coming years, the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift will continue to pursue an assertive policy to bring its direct and indirect emissions under control, 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.
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 Femmes avec Zwift 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.
Carbon neutrality for direct emissions.
The residual direct emissions of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift (organisation, teams, partners and media) are fully offset after the end of the event through a "Label Bas Carbone" programme run by the French Ministry of Ecological Transition near La Planche des Belles Filles.
In 2022, the Centre National de la Propriété Forestière was chosen to set up 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.
For example, in 2023, a compensation initiative near the Gelos site (at kilometer 13.6 of the 2023 route) was selected by the Tour and the National Center for Forest Ownership due to its proximity to the course route for both the men's and women's races. This reforestation program involves local landowners and children from the village school.