A jointly agreed route
The route is drawn up in close collaboration with the government, environmental and heritage authorities.
· In Peru: the Environment and Culture Ministries.
· In Argentina: the Ministry for the Environment and the services of each province visited.
· In Chile: the Consejo de Monumentos Nacionales (council for national monuments), the Ministerio Medio Ambiante (the Ministry for the Environment), the Corporation Nacional Forestal de Chile (Chilean National Forestry Corporation) and the Corporation Nacional de Desarrollo IndÃÂgena (National Corporation for Indigenous Development).
Identification and protection of archaeological and paleontological sites
· Performance of studies with experts to identify all the relevant sites.
· Implementation of protective measures on all sites.
· 120,000 USD devoted to these measures.
Carbon emission offsetting
· 100% of direct carbon emissions (from the organisers, competitors and logistics) are offset.
· 300,000 US$ have been invested in the Madre de Dios project as a result.
It is a project associated with the construction of a trans-oceanic route through the Amazon Rain Forest. The aim is to avoid uncontrolled and extensive deforestation which generally accompanies this type of work. Madre de Dios helps local populations to maintain the wildlife and plant life.
Demanding and optimised organisational standards
· Inventories of each bivouac site are conducted in the presence of the governmental authorities.
· 1.5 tonnes of aluminium, plastic, glass, cardboard, etc., and 19 tonnes of tyres were recycled in 2012 thanks to the selective sorting put in place on the bivouac sites.
· 7,000 litres of used oil and 27 tonnes of waste (batteries, cloths, filters, etc.) were disposed of in 2012 by approved waste disposal companies.
· Recovery of waste water at each bivouac site.
· As in 2012, all the competitors must sign the environmental charter.
Cleaning of the route
· Teams made up of several organisation vehicles clean up each day once the race has gone past.
· 200 volunteers from the Eco Playas association, which campaigns and works for protection of sensitive areas, will be at coastal sites likely to attract spectators in order to hand out waste disposal bags. Similarly, waste collection will be organised immediately once the rally has passed in and around the spectator zones.
The Dakar and progress
Each year, the organisers identify relevant areas for improvement in order to optimise organisation with regard to environmental issues.
