Race for Water, the largest solar-powered vessel, in Paris for COP21

by Media Race for Water on 26 Nov 2015 Race for Water Foundation will be in Paris from the 26 November to the 12 December to participate in and organise events and conferences, both on board Race for Water and at Le Bourget and Le Grand Palais. The solar-powered vessel will be moored at Quai Javel Bas and will welcome, amongst others, the general public for an exhibition entitled “Plastic Pollution: from the impact to the solutions”.

Fighting plastic pollution in water: understanding the impact, finding the solutions

In 2015, the Race for Water Foundation did an initial global study of plastic pollution in oceans through the Race for Water Odyssey project. The resounding conclusion of this unique expedition is that plastic pollution is everywhere. Analysis of the expedition’s findings continues at the Foundation’s partner institutions including the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (Switzerland), the University of Bordeaux (France), the University of Fribourg (Switzerland) and Duke University and Oregon State University (USA). Final results will be available in 2016.

The Foundation also concluded that an efficient grand-scale clean-up of the world’s oceans is unrealistic. With this knowledge, the Race for Water Foundation is now focussed on identifying, promoting and implementing practical solutions that tackle waste and pollution at source, before it reaches our waterways.

“Race for Water Odyssey was a springboard that has enabled us to further define how to progress towards solutions. Following the Odyssey, our conclusions are clear: plastic pollution affects all regions of the world, it is everywhere. We must be proactive and prevent plastic from getting into our waterways by promoting solutions that give waste value. We will be launching pilot projects that transform waste into energy from 2016 on,” explains Marco Simeoni, president of the Foundation.

The Foundation will present an approach that aims to give plastic waste a value through an innovative technology that transforms end-of-life plastic into energy. Beyond the environmental benefits, this solution based on social entrepreneurship, will create jobs, particularly for those most affected by pollution. The first pilot projects are planned for 2016.

New mission for the largest solar-powered vessel in the world

The newly christened Race for Water, proudly sporting the colours of the Race for Water Foundation in its campaign against the plastic pollution of our waterways, was once the first vessel in the world to complete a circumnavigation driven by solar power. The Race for Water solar vessel is a unique and versatile platform and is an ideal flagship for the Foundation’s solutions, research and awareness programmes, in addition to providing a platform for scientific study. Gerard d’Aboville, a new Foundation ambassador, will remain at the helm of the solar vessel that he has skippered since 2013. He explains:

“Throughout my career I have unfortunately witnessed the degradation of the world's oceans and this cause is thus very close to my heart. We must preserve the oceans against this plague of plastic pollution. I am looking forward to these new missions aboard Race for Water in the service of this cause.”