2023-08-26 11:48:00
‘The dunes are not oursactivists taking part in the protest once morest the F1 race track have written on placards. They hang on their bicycle.
About a hundred demonstrators, from Extinction Rebellion, Grandparents for the Climate, Milieudefensie, the Dune Conservation Foundation and Rust bij de Kust pedal from Haarlem to Zandvoort, to argue: people should be humble visitors to the dune area, where vulnerable animals and plants live.
The race track, which will peak this weekend with competitions between top drivers, does not belong to the dunes, a protected Natura2000 area, as far as the activists are concerned. “We demand Formula 0,” they say regarding F1. In other words: the plug must be removed.
That sounds compelling, but the cycling environmentalists are not going to block a road at Zandvoort or carry out adhesive actions, spokesperson Lowie van Liere reports. “We end up on the beach, where we hold a peaceful demonstration.” Speeches follow. Bring sunscreen and swimsuit, the invitation said.
Illegal actions not excluded
He cannot rule out the possibility that other climate activists will use the race weekend to carry out more provocative or illegal actions, but the participants of the cycling action promise a safe, calm action at a distance from the race track.
“We do not feel that we can stop the event immediately,” says Van Liere. “But we want to make our voice heard: Formula 1 is no longer possible.” The activists find it undesirable that the racing cars emit nitrogen, which precipitates on the vulnerable dune nature, where the special sandstripe lizard and natterjack toad live.
The fact is: the judge has already looked at the complaints regarding nitrogen from the race track, up to and including the Council of State. And the verdict was: it is allowed, the nature permit is good. “Too bad, but the nitrogen from cars driving around in circles is apparently not harmful enough to stop this so-called event.”
‘Impact of the whole circus’
“We also see many more reasons for this,” says Van Liere. “We are concerned regarding the impact of the entire circus on climate and the environment.” The racing cars run on fossil fuels, which emit CO2. That has a climate effect. In addition, the circuit attracts a lot of enthusiastic fans, including ‘Max fans.’
Extinction Rebellion finds the logistics and also flying in drivers ‘out of date.’ “Large amounts of materials are transported worldwide from circuit to circuit. What kind of signal are you sending as a government by allowing car races on fossil fuels even longer?”
On the other hand: all kinds of events, concerts and even the annual UN climate summit have a significant climate impact due to the lugging of materials and attract (international) visitors. “Not in a vulnerable dune area,” Van Liere counters. And then he has not yet mentioned one of the main arguments once morest F1: the noise. Noise nuisance from ‘piousShowing would also cause nuisance to nature.
Permit remains
Although the judge ruled that the F1 race track meets all environmental standards and permit requirements, including for the protection of vulnerable species, the activists remain hopeful that the province of North Holland will withdraw the permit. That chance is minimal, Van Liere admits.
“The cycling action today is the third year, we will come once more next year.” The climate activists do not see legal possibilities to challenge the F1 event, following the failed attempts to do so by, among others, Johan Vollenbroek’s MOB.
What Van Liere hopes for, says the activist with his bike in hand, is that another country will take over the F1 races in 2025, so that the event in the dunes near Zandvoort loses its right to exist.
Read also:
Council of State maintains Circuit Zandvoort permit, Grand Prix may continue
Nature organizations have lost the appeal once morest the permit of the Circuit Zandvoort. According to the Council of State, the permit does not lead to more nitrogen emissions.
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