Climate stripes launched on Formula E race car at COP28

The University of Reading's climate stripes will feature on the electric race car and the kit of Formula E team Envision Racing. 

Launching on youth day at COP 28 (Friday, 8 Dec), the stripes will first appear on the car during the opening race of season 10, which kicks off in Mexico City on Saturday, 13 January 2024.

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.

Launching in Blue Zone at COP28, with an exclusive new film, narrated by Professor Hawkins, Envision Racing will showcase the stripes to raise awareness and inspire fans, partners, and competitors, to collaborate on addressing the urgent climate crisis.

In addition to featuring the global warming stripes on the car, the stripes will be integrated into the team’s Race Against Climate Change programme and also involve international and regional activities taking place throughout the Formula E season to showcase changes that have occurred at race locations using local warming stripes. This includes International ‘Show Your Stripes’ Day on 21st June 2024.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."

Ed Hawkins, Professor at the University of Reading and creator of the climate stripes, said: "Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time. 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."