The ‘You. Smart. Thing.’ (YST) carbon removals option facilitates the purchase of carbon removal credits to neutralise emissions from travel.
YST aims to encourage eventgoers and participants to choose active, low-carbon travel options that reduce travel-related CO2e emissions, with the ability to remove their remaining carbon footprint from the atmosphere.
First used by London Marathon Events (LME) for the Vitality 10k 2024, the sustainable ‘travel assistant’ service aims to improve participant experience and accessibility while encouraging low-carbon travel choices. YST’s integration of the carbon removal option allows race participants to easily purchase carbon removal credits that will neutralise remaining emissions associated with their travel to and from the event.
Climate action requires urgent efforts to reduce emissions and remove existing carbon from the atmosphere. YST’s travel demand management technology supports this by encouraging sustainable travel behaviour and offering users the option to remove carbon using durable removal methods offered through the travel assistant service.
The main goal is to prevent or reduce emissions, but to reach net zero by 2050, an estimated 10 billion tonnes of carbon will need to be removed from the atmosphere each year.
Creating carbon-removed events
YST is proud to collaborate with events of all shapes and sizes, including London Marathon Events, the world’s leading organiser of mass participation sporting events. LME is internationally recognised for its efforts to inspire activity and deliver excellence, encouraging participation in sport across all demographics and abilities:
“We recognise that the activities of London Marathon Events Limited can have both a negative and a beneficial impact on the environment, associated with impacts such as resource utilisation, materials choice, waste generation and disposal, greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity and nature preservation, and releases to land, water and air. Through a rigorous assessment and measurement of what those impacts are, we are taking action to eliminate or minimise negative ones and amplify positive ones.”
Kate Chapman, Head of Sustainability, LME
Working towards net zero carbon emissions
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provides robust scientific data and pathways to net zero, stressing that achieving global net zero by 2050 is crucial for limiting warming to 1.5°C, while highlighting the need for equitable climate action across the globe.
To achieve net zero, organisations and individuals must focus on:
- Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Implementing strategies such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, and supply chain management. Emission reduction initiatives are critical to any net zero strategy.
- Removing Unavoidable Emissions: For emissions that cannot be fully reduced, like those from bus, rail, or international air travel, purchasing durable carbon removal credits helps neutralise the remaining impact.
Many organisations recognise the importance of carbon removal to neutralise their operational impact. Historically, LME have charged a Carbon Levy to London Marathon participants travelling from abroad to address travel-related carbon emissions with funds raised invested in durable carbon removal, but until now, domestic participants have not had the option to address their emissions.
Since September 2024, YST has begun introducing carbon removal integration for all destinations, venues, and events using its platform to manage visitor travel data. The system calculates an individual’s travel carbon footprint using the UK government’s CO2e emissions formula, ensuring an accurate contribution based on the distance, route, and modes of travel selected.
Where does the money go?
A diverse carbon removals portfolio managed by CUR8, comprising:
Enhanced Rock Weathering
Accelerating natural process where rainwater and carbon dioxide reacts with silicate rocks to form a stable form of carbon in solution. This solution then travels via the rivers to the ocean where it remains stable for millennia. Enhanced weathering accelerates this process by using rock ground into dust, which is then spread on agricultural land.
Direct Air Capture
Removes carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere, typically using chemical processes that bind CO₂ from the air. The captured CO₂ can then be stored underground or used in various industrial applications.
Afforestation
Planting trees to either restore or develop new regions of forested land, increasing the drawdown of CO2 through natural respiration. These projects may also have significant environmental co-benefits such as air quality and biodiversity improvement.
Soil carbon sequestration
Enhancing agricultural soils’ ability to draw down carbon in both organic and inorganic forms. Soils are the second-largest carbon storage system on the planet, holding approximately 2,500 billion tonnes of carbon.
Biochar
Turning biomass, such as agricultural waste, into a stable form of carbon-rich charcoal through a process called pyrolysis. Pyrolysis heats the biomass in the absence of oxygen, which prevents it from fully combusting and instead turns it into biochar. This stores carbon for hundreds to thousands of years, while also forming a material which helps improve soil health.
These technologies require substantial investment to scale and provide viable solutions for achieving net zero. However, carbon removal is no substitute for reducing emissions. Both reductions and removals must be pursued simultaneously. The climate emergency demands action on all fronts.
Example Deployment (London Marathon Events)
- Create a travel plan
- Select a journey option
- Click on the CO2e amount and you will be directed to a checkout page with the carbon removal option pre-populated
