Poland Convention Bureau POT has joined the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative, strongly supported by all members of the Strategic Alliance of European National Convention Bureaux (SANCB).
Net Zero Carbon Events is a global initiative launched in 2021 in Paris by the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) in cooperation with, among others, members of ICCA, UFI, AIPC and supported by the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), brings together the events industry worldwide in a common effort to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050.
The Poland Convention Bureau of the Polish Tourist Organization, as a founding member of the Alliance, participates in all initiatives, research projects and meetings of the Alliance, which aims to strengthen Europe as a venue for meetings and events, exchange experiences and work towards common standards for the industry in Europe.
Efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the meetings industry are close to the hearts of all Alliance members. Net zero refers to the balance between greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced by humans and their removal from the atmosphere. To achieve this balance, greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced, and those that cannot be avoided must be offset or “neutralized” through the use of long-term carbon capture solutions.
The Net Zero Carbon Events Action Plan (roadmap) for 2022-2050 was announced in November 2022 at the COP27 summit in Egypt. The plan will be updated as sustainability efforts under the initiative progress. It will also include actions targeting a wider group of stakeholders in the events industry, including exhibitors, who are critical to the events industry’s ability to decarbonize.
One of the objectives of the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative is to create a framework of consistent standards and common actions to be taken by the events industry to achieve the Net Zero Carbon goal by 2050. The initiative is already supported by 700 entities from over 60 countries around the world. More about the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative: Signatories / Supporters | Net Zero Carbon Events.
Poland in the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative
The Polish signatories of the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative are:
– Kraków5020 Sp. z o.o., operator of the ICE Kraków Congress Center
– Polish Chamber of the Exhibition Industry (PIPT)
– Symposium Cracoviense Sp. z o.o.
Sustainable development means a complete balance between the three factors of civilizational progress: economic, social, and ecological. This is a huge challenge that also faces the meetings industry. It is worth noting that we will soon be participating, together with representatives of Kraków5020, in the first edition of a conference dedicated to reducing the carbon footprint of the meetings industry – Convene4Climate, which will take place in Barcelona on October 2-3, 2024. The event is organized by the Strategic Alliance of National European Convention Bureaux and the PCMA organization. Our accession to the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative is therefore a small step towards raising environmental awareness, strengthening the image of the Polish industry and contributing to the achievement of global climate goals, said Aneta Książek, manager of the Poland Convention Bureau POT.
Source and graphics: Polish Tourist Organization
