Ed Hawkins, a professor at the University of Reading and a leading figure in climate science, is renowned for his creation of the Climate Stripes, which represent the historical temperature changes of countries across the world. First created in 2018, the stripes aim to visually highlight the alarming trend of global warming in one striking image.
The team unveiled its car's new colours on Youth Day at COP28 in Blue Zone, with an exclusive new film, narrated by Professor Hawkins, showcasing the Climate Stripes to raise awareness and inspire fans, partners, and competitors to collaborate on addressing the urgent climate crisis.
Hawkins' stripes will also feature in the team's ongoing Race Against Climate Change programme and involve international and regional activities taking place throughout the Formula E season, including International ‘Show Your Stripes’ Day on June 21 2024.
Significant stripes
Climate scientist Hawkins put the idea “a picture is worth a thousand words” into practice back in 2018 when he created the graphics. The barcode-like stripes turn annual climate data into rows of colored stripes that show yearly temperature and precipitation compared to the long-term average—red bars for relatively warm years, and blue for cool ones; green for wet years, and brown for dry ones.
"Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time," said Hawkins, Professor at the University of Reading. "Every country, region and city is warming. There is no time to waste. Collaboration across different sectors is essential for addressing this issue and providing solutions to reduce the effects of global warming. I’m thrilled to partner with Envision Racing, and together, we will engage new audiences in conversations about climate change and the urgent need for collective action."
Inspiring action
Envision Racing exists to inspire generations to tackle climate change and support the transition to e-mobility and renewable energy. On and off the track, the team focuses on accelerating change that benefits people and the planet. Envision launched its award-winning Race Against Climate Change fan pledge program in Glasgow in 2021. The campaign encourages fans to make personal commitments reduce their carbon impact, from reducing waste and sourcing food locally to switching to renewable energy and recycling e-waste. To date, nearly 250,000 pledges have been made.
Sylvain Filippi, Managing Director of Envision Racing, said: “We are passionate about using our status as a leading sports team to further the conversation on climate advocacy in our industry. We are delighted to be partnering with Professor Hawkins and believe that by showcasing the Climate Stripes on our race car, we can not only draw attention to the critical issue of climate change but also encourage a broader discussion on the role that sports and businesses can play in driving positive environmental change."