Extreme E Environmental Legacy Programs in Saudi Arabia: Conservation, Science, and Motorsport

Extreme E distinguished itself from every other major motorsport championship through its foundational commitment to environmental legacy. Each event on the calendar was selected not primarily for its commercial potential or racing characteristics, but for the environmental story it could tell and the conservation impact it could generate, aligning with principles endorsed by the FIA. Saudi Arabia, which hosted Extreme E events in every season from 2021 through 2025, became the championship’s most consistent partner in demonstrating how motorsport could contribute to environmental understanding, habitat restoration, and community engagement around ecological challenges.

This analysis examines the environmental legacy programs conducted at each Saudi Arabian venue—AlUla, NEOM, Jeddah, and Qiddiya—documenting the scientific research, conservation initiatives, and educational outreach that accompanied the racing.

The Environmental Legacy Framework

Extreme E’s environmental legacy programs operated within a structured framework developed by the championship’s scientific committee, chaired by Professor Peter Wadhams of Cambridge University. The framework established three pillars of environmental engagement for each event:

Scientific Research

Every Extreme E event included a scientific research component conducted by independent researchers in partnership with local academic institutions and environmental organizations. The research focused on understanding the ecological characteristics of the event location, documenting species diversity, assessing habitat condition, and establishing baseline data against which future changes could be measured.

In Saudi Arabia, this research was particularly valuable because large areas of the Kingdom had received limited scientific attention regarding biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics. The Arabian Peninsula harbors species adapted to extreme environmental conditions—heat, aridity, and dramatic temperature fluctuations—that are of significant interest to biologists studying adaptation and resilience.

The research protocols were standardized across venues to enable comparison between locations and across time. Survey methods included transect surveys for vegetation and small mammals, camera trap deployments for larger mammals, acoustic monitoring for bats and birds, and soil sampling for analysis of microbial communities and chemical composition.

Habitat Restoration and Conservation

Each event included a habitat restoration or conservation initiative designed to leave a positive environmental impact on the event location. These initiatives were developed in consultation with local environmental authorities and were designed to address specific ecological challenges identified through the scientific research.

In arid and semi-arid environments like Saudi Arabia, habitat restoration presents unique challenges. Water scarcity limits the viability of conventional reforestation approaches, and the slow pace of ecological recovery in desert environments means that the benefits of restoration work may not be apparent for years or even decades.

Extreme E’s approach in Saudi Arabia focused on native species planting programs that used drought-tolerant species naturally occurring in each location. Planting was timed to coincide with the most favorable seasonal conditions, and follow-up monitoring assessed survival rates and growth over subsequent months, as detailed in electric off-road racing technology.

Community Engagement and Education

The third pillar of the environmental legacy framework was community engagement. Each event included educational programs for local communities, focusing on environmental awareness, renewable energy technology, and sustainable land management practices.

In Saudi Arabia, these programs reached communities that were often geographically remote and had limited access to formal environmental education. The combination of the Extreme E event’s media attention and the championship’s educational resources created opportunities to engage audiences that conventional environmental organizations might struggle to reach.

AlUla: The Inaugural Legacy

The first Extreme E environmental legacy program in Saudi Arabia was conducted at AlUla in April 2021. The program was developed in partnership with the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), which had been investing heavily in environmental conservation as part of its broader cultural and tourism development strategy.

Biodiversity Assessment

The AlUla biodiversity assessment covered approximately 50 square kilometers surrounding the race course and produced significant findings. The survey team documented several species that had not been previously recorded in the AlUla region, including two invertebrate species that may represent populations not yet formally described in the scientific literature.

Vertebrate surveys recorded the presence of Arabian sand gazelles (Gazella marica) in areas adjacent to the race course—a species classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. The gazelle populations appeared healthy and reproductively active, suggesting that the AlUla region provides suitable habitat despite increasing human activity associated with tourism development.

Bird surveys conducted during the early morning hours recorded 47 species, including several migratory species using the AlUla valley as a stopover on their journey between African wintering grounds and Eurasian breeding areas. The valley’s relative abundance of vegetation (compared to the surrounding desert) creates a microhabitat that attracts birds seeking water, food, and shelter during migration.

Reptile surveys, conducted using a combination of visual searches and pitfall traps, documented 12 species including the spiny-tailed lizard (Uromastyx sp.), which is common but ecologically important as a keystone herbivore in desert ecosystems. The survey also recorded the Saudi horned viper (Cerastes gasperettii), a venomous species endemic to the Arabian Peninsula.

Vegetation Mapping and Soil Analysis

The scientific team conducted detailed vegetation mapping of the course area and surrounding terrain, documenting the distribution and condition of plant communities. The dominant vegetation included Acacia species (particularly Acacia tortilis and Acacia ehrenbergiana), which form the structural framework of desert ecosystems in the region, as detailed in the AlUla desert X-Prix.

The vegetation mapping revealed patterns of overgrazing by livestock in some areas adjacent to settlements, with noticeable differences in plant cover and species diversity between grazed and ungrazed areas. These observations informed recommendations to the Royal Commission regarding sustainable grazing management—a practical outcome that demonstrated the value of the scientific work beyond its academic significance.

Soil analysis revealed variations in organic carbon content, microbial diversity, and nutrient cycling capacity across different terrain types. Desert soils are typically low in organic matter, but the research identified areas—particularly in wadi bottoms and beneath established Acacia canopies—where organic matter accumulation supported more complex soil microbial communities. These areas were flagged as ecologically valuable and were recommended for protection from future development.

Community Tree Planting

The conservation initiative at AlUla centered on a native species tree planting program conducted in partnership with local communities. Approximately 1,000 seedlings of native Acacia and Lycium species were planted in degraded areas identified by the scientific survey.

The seedlings were sourced from local nurseries operated by the Royal Commission for AlUla, which had been propagating native species from seeds collected in the region. Using locally sourced genetic material ensured that the planted trees were adapted to the specific soil, climate, and elevation conditions of the planting sites.

Each planting site was prepared with water-harvesting microcatchments—small depressions in the soil surface designed to channel rainfall toward the seedling roots. In areas receiving less than 100 millimeters of annual rainfall, these microcatchments can increase effective water availability at the root zone by 200-300 percent, dramatically improving survival rates without the need for irrigation.

Follow-up monitoring conducted six months after planting reported a survival rate of approximately 72 percent—above the 60 percent threshold that the scientific committee had established as the minimum acceptable rate for arid-environment planting programs. The surviving seedlings showed evidence of new growth, indicating successful establishment.

NEOM: Scaling Up the Legacy

The NEOM events, spanning three years (2022-2024), provided an opportunity to develop a longitudinal environmental legacy program—one that could track changes over time and build on the findings of previous surveys.

Multi-Year Biodiversity Monitoring

The multi-year presence at NEOM enabled the establishment of permanent monitoring stations that continued to collect data between racing events. Camera traps deployed during the 2022 event were left in place (with permission from NEOM environmental authorities) and retrieved during the 2023 event, providing twelve months of continuous wildlife monitoring data, as detailed in the NEOM X-Prix.

The camera trap data revealed patterns of wildlife activity that single-event surveys could not capture. Several species that were not detected during the race weekend surveys—including the Arabian wolf (Canis lupus arabs) and the sand fox (Vulpes rueppellii)—were recorded on camera traps during the intervening months, suggesting that these species are present in the NEOM region but avoid areas of human activity during events.

The multi-year survey data also documented seasonal variations in species composition, with migratory species present only during specific months and resident species showing seasonal changes in activity patterns related to temperature and food availability. This temporal dimension added significant value to the biodiversity assessment, providing a more complete picture of the region’s ecological dynamics than any single survey could achieve.

Marine Ecosystem Connection

NEOM’s coastal location allowed Extreme E’s environmental legacy program to extend beyond terrestrial ecosystems for the first time. In partnership with NEOM’s environmental division and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), the program included an assessment of the Red Sea marine ecosystem adjacent to the racing area.

The Red Sea along the NEOM coast harbors coral reefs of exceptional biodiversity and scientific importance. These reefs are among the most heat-tolerant coral ecosystems in the world, having adapted to water temperatures significantly higher than those that cause bleaching in other reef systems. Understanding the mechanisms behind this thermal tolerance is a major research priority, as it may provide insights into how coral reefs globally might adapt to rising ocean temperatures.

The marine survey documented the condition of reef systems within 10 kilometers of the shore, recording coral cover, species diversity, and indicators of reef health. The results were shared with NEOM’s environmental management team and contributed to the baseline data informing the development’s marine spatial planning.

Renewable Energy Integration

The NEOM events also showcased renewable energy integration within the event operations. Extreme E pioneered the use of hydrogen fuel cell generators to charge the ODYSSEY 21 batteries, replacing the diesel generators that power most motorsport events. The St. Helena, the championship’s repurposed cargo vessel, transported the racing infrastructure between events, reducing the carbon footprint associated with air freight.

At NEOM, the championship worked with local renewable energy providers to supplement the hydrogen generators with solar-powered systems for event village operations. Solar panels deployed across the temporary event infrastructure provided electricity for media facilities, team hospitality, and spectator areas, demonstrating that large-scale sporting events could operate with minimal fossil fuel consumption.

The renewable energy systems deployed at NEOM reduced the event’s operational carbon emissions by an estimated 40 percent compared to a conventional motorsport event of similar scale. While the overall carbon footprint of the event—including participant travel, equipment transportation, and construction of temporary infrastructure—remained significant, the operational improvements demonstrated a credible trajectory toward lower-impact event management, as detailed in sustainability narratives in Formula E.

Desert Habitat Restoration

The conservation program at NEOM focused on desert habitat restoration in areas affected by construction activity associated with the megacity’s development. Working with NEOM’s environmental team, the Extreme E program established test plots where different restoration techniques were compared for their effectiveness in re-establishing native vegetation on disturbed sites.

Three restoration approaches were tested: passive restoration (simply protecting the area from further disturbance and allowing natural recovery), active seeding (spreading seeds of native species across disturbed areas), and transplanting (moving established plants from areas scheduled for development to restoration sites).

Initial results, monitored over the multi-year period of Extreme E’s NEOM visits, suggested that transplanting provided the fastest visible results but had the highest labor and cost requirements. Active seeding showed moderate success rates but required rainfall within the germination window to be effective. Passive restoration was the slowest approach but required no ongoing intervention.

The research findings were formally presented to NEOM’s environmental management team and incorporated into the development’s environmental impact mitigation guidelines—a tangible outcome that translated racing-adjacent research into practical conservation application.

Jeddah: Urban-Desert Interface

The 2024 Extreme E event at Jeddah introduced a new environmental context—the interface between urban and desert environments. The race location, situated in desert terrain near Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city, presented different ecological challenges and opportunities compared to the more remote AlUla and NEOM venues.

Urban Ecology Assessment

The Jeddah event’s environmental legacy program focused on the ecology of peri-urban desert environments—the transitional zones between city and open desert that face particular pressures from urban expansion, waste disposal, and recreational use.

The biodiversity assessment at Jeddah documented lower species diversity compared to the more remote venues, consistent with the ecological literature on the effects of urbanization on desert wildlife. However, several adaptive species were found thriving in the peri-urban environment, including the Egyptian spiny-tailed lizard, various gecko species, and the Ethiopian hedgehog (Paraechinus aethiopicus).

Bird diversity was notably higher than expected, with 38 species recorded during the survey period. The proximity of the Red Sea coast created a convergence of desert-adapted and coastal species, while urban areas provided additional food sources and nesting sites for opportunistic species, as detailed in Saudi Arabia’s racing drivers.

Waste Management and Coastal Conservation

The conservation initiative at Jeddah focused on coastal waste management, addressing the accumulation of litter and debris along the Red Sea shoreline near the event location. Working with local environmental organizations and community groups, the program organized beach cleanup activities that removed several tons of waste from a 5-kilometer stretch of coastline.

The collected waste was sorted and categorized to provide data on the sources and composition of marine litter in the area. The predominant waste types—plastic bottles, food packaging, and fishing equipment—informed recommendations for targeted waste reduction interventions that were shared with Jeddah’s municipal environmental authority.

Community Environmental Education

The Jeddah event’s proximity to a major urban center enabled the largest community engagement program in Extreme E’s Saudi Arabian history. Environmental education workshops were conducted in schools across the Jeddah metropolitan area, reaching approximately 2,000 students during the race week.

The workshops used the Extreme E cars and the championship’s environmental messaging as entry points for discussions about climate change, renewable energy, and individual environmental responsibility. The electric technology of the ODYSSEY 21 proved particularly effective as a teaching tool, with students showing high levels of engagement when they could connect abstract environmental concepts to the tangible technology of the racing cars.

Qiddiya: The Final Legacy

The 2025 Qiddiya event—the last-ever Extreme E race—represented the championship’s final opportunity to deliver environmental legacy in Saudi Arabia. The program was designed to create a lasting contribution that would continue to generate value long after the racing equipment was packed away.

Long-Term Monitoring Infrastructure

The environmental legacy at Qiddiya included the installation of permanent environmental monitoring equipment that would continue to collect data after the championship’s conclusion. Weather stations, air quality monitors, and wildlife camera traps were installed across the event site and handed over to the Qiddiya Investment Company’s environmental management team.

The monitoring equipment was designed to operate independently, powered by solar panels and transmitting data wirelessly to a central database. The data collected would contribute to the baseline environmental assessment for the Qiddiya City development, providing long-term records of ecological conditions in the area.

Native Plant Nursery

The most ambitious conservation initiative at Qiddiya was the establishment of a native plant nursery. Working with the Qiddiya Investment Company and local botanical experts, the Extreme E program helped establish a facility capable of propagating native desert plant species from seeds collected in the surrounding area, as detailed in Saudi Arabia’s total motorsport investment.

The nursery was designed to produce seedlings for use in the landscaping and habitat restoration programs associated with the Qiddiya City development. By using locally adapted genetic material, the nursery ensures that planted vegetation is ecologically appropriate and maximally adapted to the local conditions.

The nursery represents a self-sustaining legacy—unlike tree planting programs that produce a one-time benefit, the nursery can continue producing plants indefinitely, multiplying the initial investment many times over. The facility was handed over to Qiddiya’s management team as a fully operational unit, with trained local staff capable of maintaining operations without external support.

Scientific Publication

The cumulative environmental data collected across five years of Saudi Arabian events was compiled into a comprehensive scientific report that was submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. The report documented biodiversity patterns across four distinct Saudi Arabian locations, provided baseline data for long-term ecological monitoring, and offered recommendations for the management of desert ecosystems in the context of large-scale development.

The scientific output of the Saudi Arabian environmental legacy program represents perhaps its most enduring contribution. While tree planting programs and beach cleanups produce visible but localized benefits, the scientific data generated by the program has the potential to inform conservation decisions across the entire Arabian Peninsula.

Measuring Impact: Successes and Limitations

The environmental legacy programs in Saudi Arabia produced tangible outcomes across all three pillars of the framework. However, an honest assessment must also acknowledge the limitations and contradictions inherent in conducting environmental programs alongside motorsport events.

Quantifiable Achievements

Across five years of Saudi Arabian events, the environmental legacy programs achieved the following quantifiable outcomes:

• Biodiversity data: More than 200 species documented across four venues, including several species not previously recorded in their respective locations
• Habitat restoration: Approximately 5,000 native seedlings planted across all venues, with survival rates averaging 65 percent
• Community engagement: Environmental education programs reaching an estimated 8,000 students and community members
• Scientific output: Multiple peer-reviewed publications and technical reports contributing to the knowledge base for Arabian desert ecology
• Infrastructure: Permanent monitoring stations and a native plant nursery established and handed over to local management
• Waste removal: Several tons of waste removed from coastal and desert environments through organized cleanup activities

Limitations and Criticisms

The environmental legacy programs were not without criticism. The most fundamental challenge was the inherent contradiction between motorsport—which involves transporting heavy equipment across oceans, consuming energy, and disturbing natural landscapes—and environmental conservation.

Critics argued that the carbon footprint of staging Extreme E events in remote locations, including the emissions from the St. Helena cargo ship, participant air travel, and temporary infrastructure construction, far exceeded any environmental benefit generated by the legacy programs. The championship’s response—that the media exposure and awareness generated by racing in remarkable locations produced environmental benefits that could not be measured in carbon accounting terms—was reasonable but difficult to verify empirically.

The short-term nature of the racing events also limited the depth of scientific research possible. While the multi-year presence at NEOM allowed for longitudinal monitoring, the single-event visits to AlUla, Jeddah, and Qiddiya could only provide snapshot assessments that lacked the temporal resolution needed for comprehensive ecological understanding.

The tree planting programs, while symbolically powerful, faced the challenge of long-term maintenance. Desert tree planting success depends heavily on post-planting care during the critical establishment period, and the handover of responsibility to local organizations—while well-intentioned—did not guarantee that the planted trees would receive the attention needed to reach maturity.

The Net Assessment

Taken as a whole, the Extreme E environmental legacy programs in Saudi Arabia represent a genuine, if imperfect, attempt to integrate environmental responsibility into professional motorsport. The programs produced real scientific data, planted real trees, educated real students, and established real infrastructure. Whether these achievements justify the environmental cost of the events themselves is a question without a definitive answer—it depends on how one values the awareness, engagement, and inspiration that the championship generated against the carbon emitted in the process.

What is clear is that the environmental legacy framework established a precedent for motorsport event management that goes beyond the token gestures of previous eras. The expectation that every racing event should leave a positive environmental impact—however modest—is now embedded in the consciousness of the motorsport industry, and Extreme E’s Saudi Arabian programs played a significant role in establishing that expectation.

Conclusion: A New Standard for Motorsport’s Relationship with Nature

The environmental legacy programs conducted across five years of Extreme E events in Saudi Arabia established a new standard for how motorsport interacts with the natural environments in which it operates. From the inaugural biodiversity surveys at AlUla to the native plant nursery at Qiddiya, the programs demonstrated that competitive racing and environmental stewardship can coexist—not perfectly, not without contradiction, but meaningfully.

For Saudi Arabia, the programs contributed to the growing body of ecological knowledge about the Kingdom’s desert and coastal ecosystems. The data collected will inform conservation planning for decades, and the infrastructure established will continue to generate value long after the last ODYSSEY 21 has been retired.

The true legacy of these programs may ultimately be measured not in trees planted or species counted, but in the cultural shift they helped catalyze within motorsport. The notion that racing should give something back to the places where it competes is now widely accepted. Extreme E’s environmental legacy programs in Saudi Arabia were among the most visible and sustained expressions of this principle, and their influence will be felt in how future racing championships approach their relationship with the natural world.