AmberSail2 draws leading ocean advocates to Green Course Conference

AmberSail2 - The Ocean Race © The Ocean Race

AmberSail 2, the first ever Lithuanian entry in The Ocean Race, has set sustainability as a key focus for their team by aligning with The Ocean Race's Racing with Purpose programme. One of their first major initiatives has been to organise a major environmental event, the European Green Course Conference, in Klaipeda, Lithuania to coincide with the northern European Prologue event of The Ocean Race Europe.

Regimantas Buožius, Head of Ambersail-2 Global Programme comments: "We are organising this conference as sustainability is one of the main priorities of our team. We fully support The Ocean Race's vision that the race, which attracts so much attention around the world, is not just a sporting event - it must be a race with a purpose - a sustainable and "green" future for our oceans and our planet."

The Green Course Conference has attracted several leading ocean advocates from the region, including Virginijus Sinkevicius, the European Union's Commissioner Responsible for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries and the Prime Minister of Lithuania, Ingrida Šimonyte, as well as other stakeholders from government, sport, science, and ocean communities.

Commissioner Sinkevicius said: "The success of the European Green Deal depends not only on political decisions, but also on public support and an understanding of why it is important and how it will benefit each of us. The growing involvement of sports communities around the world in discussions on the environment, climate change and sustainability is crucial. Therefore, I am glad that Lithuanian sports communities are also taking the initiative to make the public aware of the directions and goals of the European Green Course, as this is a common concern for all of us.

"Sustainability is integrated into The Ocean Race's DNA, and we welcome initiatives from all our teams to proactively use their platforms to inspire people to call for sustainable change. It is only through the conversations at events such as these that we can start to influence our leading policy-makers and governments to effect changes that will protect the ocean," adds Richard Brisius, Chairman of The Ocean Race, who is in Klaipeda, Lithuania for the Conference and the start of the Prologue.

The Ocean Race's Head of Sustainability Anne-Cecile Turner and Science Lead Mairéad O'Donovan, joined Brisius to share their experiences on how The Ocean Race can be a catalyst for change for a positive impact on the marine environment.