Activists Oppose Formula 1-Style Boat Races On Protected Kyrgyz Lake

Environmental activists in Kyrgyzstan oppose plans to hold the UIM F1H2O World Championship on Lake Issyk-Kul in late July and early August. The lake is a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve and is described as highly sensitive. Authorities view the event as a major tourism opportunity and plan for annual international stages, expecting about 300 high-level guests and more than 10,000 fans from over 30 countries. Activists argue the races could damage waterways and ecosystems. They cite high speeds, large numbers of boats, and engine emissions, along with potential toxic hydrocarbon and oil contamination. They also warn that underwater noise could harm or kill endemic fish species.

"Lake Issyk-Kul is the heart of Kyrgyzstan, according to a petition against the race launched by ecologist Samat Kushbek, a Kyrgyz citizen based in France. Environmentalists warn that the high-speed powerboat races could harm one of Central Asia's most sensitive ecosystems. The lake has been a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve since 2001, and activists frame the event as targeting the core of the country's waterways rather than a harmless tourism boost."

"Kyrgyz authorities see the race as a major tourism opportunity but environmentalists are calling it a shot at the heart of the country's waterways. The event, often described as the equivalent of Formula 1 car racing on water, is scheduled for July 31-August 2 on Issyk-Kul. The F1H2O series features single-seater powerboats capable of speeds above 250 kilometers per hour and is staged on closed circuits in lakes, rivers, and coastal waters worldwide. If held in Issyk-Kul, it would be the first such event in Central Asia."

""We are currently building infrastructure so that World Cup stages become annual events," said Eduard Kubatov, head of the State Agency for Tourism Development. "Around 300 high-level guests are expected, including sheikhs, wealthy businesspeople and international sports officials. More than 10,000 fans from more than 30 countries could come to Issyk-Kul specifically to watch these Formula 1 races on water.""

"Kushbek says he calculates that, in just three days of racing among 23 race boats equipped with 400-horsepower two-stroke engines, between 29 and 43 tons of carbon dioxide -- equivalent to the monthly emissions of 10,000 cars -- would be spewed into the region. He also alleged that 1.37 tons of toxic hydrocarbons and oil could enter the water, warning that a spill of 207 liters of oil could contaminate 207 million liters of lake water. Meanwhile, underwater noise levels reaching 180 decibels could kill 25 endemic fish species,"

Read at RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty