Neom, Saudi Arabia

DESERT X PRIX (11–12 MARCH)

Saudi Arabia is home to the world's largest continuous sand desert, and is also one of the most water-stressed countries on whose shores are the coral reefs of the Red Sea, an ecosystem threatened by global warming and plastic pollution.

We want to raise awareness, together with Extreme E, of the consequences of desertification and the deterioration of marine ecosystems such as coral reefs, and to collaborate with local and international experts on projects to preserve ecosystems affected by the impact of climate change.

Two natural environments define Saudi Arabia in particular: the desert and the sea. Home to the world's largest continuous sand desert, a region with one of the highest levels of water stress and a backdrop of coastlines that shelter the coral reefs of the Red Sea, threatened by climate change and plastic pollution.

The inaugural leg of Extreme E season 3 aims to raise awareness of the consequences of desertification and the loss of healthy marine ecosystems, highlighting the "importance of incorporating nature into society".

For this reason, the first location of the season is NEOM, full of ecosystem diversity and a geographical situation conditioned by the Red Sea that allows for mild temperatures. However, the climate crisis puts the region's progress at risk while accelerating the urgency of finding regenerative and innovative solutions to help mitigate and adapt to climate change.

These include the development of renewable energy solutions and, in particular, green hydrogen, an energy vector that the Extreme E organisation underlines as essential to drive the region's decarbonisation. Of course, complemented by projects to conserve Saudi Arabia's rich biodiversity.

- CHALLENGE: Climate change threatens the health of the desert and marine ecosystems that populate Saudi Arabia, as well as all sectors of social and economic progress in the region. To provide solutions to the climate crisis, Extreme E says, "the region is committing resources to reforestation and desert regeneration solutions."

- SOLUTIONS: The third season of Extreme E will again serve as a platform for the continuation of the Legacy programme, which in NEOM aims to restore nature - for example, by protecting lizards and promoting species breeding programmes - as well as planting trees.

In this line, as Extreme E states on its website, the organisation "has collaborated with the Ba'a Foundation, an organisation dedicated to the conservation of endangered species, natural habitats and historical sites, to support the conservation of turtles on the Red Sea coast".

Scotland - United Kingdom 

HYDRO X PRIX (13–14 MAY)

Rising sea levels as a result of global warming threaten the ecosystems that sustain the world's coastlines, as well as the prosperity of their inhabitants.

There is no place in the world that can escape the effects of climate change. The UK cannot, and neither can its coasts. This is one of the reasons why Extreme E wants to raise awareness of one of the consequences of the climate crisis: rising sea levels. This phenomenon is causing coastal land erosion, endangering homes, surrounding crops and habitats, as well as tourist areas. It affects not only the environmental but also the social and economic fabric of communities.

Sardinia - Italy

 ISLAND X PRIX (8–9 JULY)

Islands such as Sardinia in Italy are suffering the consequences of rising temperatures and heat waves on their ecosystems. The loss of Posidonia oceanica seagrass beds and the rate of forest fires are two clear examples.

According to Extreme E, in 2021, fires "blazed through 20,000 hectares of land, displaced over 1,000 people and killed around 30 million bees".

The spread of fires is closely linked to phenomena such as drought and desertification. Fires also contribute to climate change by releasing carbon dioxide, one of the gases responsible for global warming, into the atmosphere. Did you know that forests absorb 7.6 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide globally?

Sardinia - Italy

 ISLAND X PRIX 

Islands such as Sardinia in Italy are suffering the consequences of rising temperatures and heat waves on their ecosystems. The loss of Posidonia oceanica seagrass beds and the rate of forest fires are two clear examples.

According to Extreme E, in 2021, fires "blazed through 20,000 hectares of land, displaced over 1,000 people and killed around 30 million bees".

The spread of fires is closely linked to phenomena such as drought and desertification. Fires also contribute to climate change by releasing carbon dioxide, one of the gases responsible for global warming, into the atmosphere. Did you know that forests absorb 7.6 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide globally?

Atacama - Chile 

COPPER X PRIX (02–03 DECEMBER)

The impact of global warming means that desert ecosystems like the one found in Chile's Atacama Desert, the driest place on Earth, are facing serious threats to the survival of their biodiversity. Endemic species existing in this unique ecosystem, which is the only one of its kind, are endangered and environmental protection measures are urgently needed.

It is vitally important that we continue to raise awareness about respecting our environment – not just to mitigate the impact that humans have on the environment but to remedy the effects of this impact and, ultimately, generate a positive impact that allows for a continued, sustainable balance in the ecosystem.