Abu dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge, organised by the Emirates Motorsports Organisation (EMSO) and supported by the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, has become the first cross-country rally event to achieve the prestigious 2-Star Environmental Accreditation from the F©d©ration Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motorsport.
According to Emirates News Agency, this milestone underscores the event's commitment to preserving the desert environment and aligns with the FIA World Motor Sport Council's directive requiring all FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) rounds to achieve a minimum 2-Star rating by 2025 and 3-Star accreditation by 2027. Established in 2013, the FIA Environmental Accreditation Programme provides a framework for sustainability in global motorsport. Achieving 2-Star accreditation confirms that the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge has implemented a structured environmental management system, measuring its impact across energy, waste, water, and transport, and operating in line with international best practices.
This accomplishment builds on EMSO's sustainability legacy, having secured its own 3-Star FIA Environmental Accreditation in 2015. For the 2025 edition, EMSO introduced a comprehensive environmental management framework that includes an environmental manual, impact assessments, waste protocols, legal compliance measures, and team training. An official Environmental Plan was distributed to all competitors ahead of the rally.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President and Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge Founder, expressed pride in the achievement, highlighting the event's evolution from a bold dream into a global benchmark in cross-country rallying. Muhammad Khamis Al Muhairi, Vice-President of EMSO's Sports Executive Committee, remarked on the accomplishment as a reflection of efforts to inspire positive change and set new sustainability benchmarks.
The 2025 event balanced maximum excitement with minimal impact. Stages were planned in collaboration with local authorities to avoid ecologically and historically sensitive zones, including UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Al Ain and Jebel Hafit Desert Park. Controlled access, restricted speed limits, and environmentally conscious operations ensured full compliance with national and international environmental standards.
With its 2-Star rating secured, EMSO is already working toward achieving 3-Star Accreditation for 2026.