[Grammar] Race is on to save ~

[Mil$ba]

Hello,

About the following expression, I'd like to know the usage of this "on".

"Race is on to save Amazon rainforest."

I'd appreciate if someone could paraphrase this sentence.
Could be that "Race has started taking action to save Amazon rainforest" ?? but I'm not sure...

Thank you in advance.

 

[Mil$ba]

To Mr./Ms.Gillnetter,

Thank you very much for your kind explanation!

Wow! I thought this "race" meant human race, not competition!
Now I understand what it says.

Thanks again. I was so lucky.

 

[BobK]

Note the determiner: "The race is on" I suspect you've seen the bare form in a newspaper headline or something like that.

b