MICE activity can have a dire environmental impact if left unchecked.

From the amount of travel and logistics entailed in bringing together an event to the volumes of waste that can be generated from catering and branding, the industry has a responsibility to cut emissions.

Tourism Update’s sister publication, Travel News, attended the November 21 Event Greening Forum’s (EGF) interactive workshop entitled ‘Bridging the divide from here to a Net Zero Carbon Events future’. This was aligned with the global goal of nett-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and the Joint Meetings Industry Council’s (JMIC) Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE) initiative, which the EGF has adopted. 

In 2021, the NZCE Pledge was launched alongside COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland. More than 100 signatories committed to addressing climate change by measuring and reporting on Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions every two years. Today, the NZCE Pledge has more than 400 signatories according to its website.

“2030 is the halfway point, and we have had to be a lot more aggressive about cutting our emissions,” said EGF Chairperson, Morwesi Ramonyai, in her opening address to the workshop.

Climate impact

Grace Stead, Founder of Steadfast Greening and an EGF committee member, delivered an eye-opening presentation that highlighted the stark reality of where we are in the climate crisis. 

“We have experienced 11 of the hottest years on record in the last 12 years, and by 2030, South Africa’s water demand will exceed supply by 17%,” Stead remarked. 

Warming oceans have resulted in rising sea levels and spawned superstorms that have had devastating consequences, particularly in coastal areas. In May last year, as just one example, the floods that affected KwaZulu Natal resulted in 435 people losing their lives and R17 billion (€XXX) in damage. This is one of many incidents on a growing list of severe weather extremes around the world. 

Recognising the role it can play, not just in shaping climate change discussions but also in how people approach greening, the MICE industry is one that is committed to driving change – and locally, the EGF is leading the charge with a call to action to the industry for as many individuals and organisations to sign the NZCE Pledge by the end of the year.

Establishing a baseline 

The EGF’s workshop sought to demonstrate how conferences and exhibitions can still ensure they’re meeting all their objectives and deliver an event that is as green as possible. Key in this is measurability and an understanding of the impact each element has in the final weighting of the overall carbon footprint of an event. Several considerations include:

Type of event – Intimate formats such as workshops and seminars have smaller carbon footprints than large conferences and exhibitions. Having a hybrid event can also mitigate carbon emissions.

Energy – Without sufficient energy sources, an event simply wouldn’t happen. However, there are a multitude of solutions available for alternative energy production and conservation that venues and organisers can implement.

Days – The longer the event, the larger its carbon footprint because this impacts on aspects such as catering, accommodation, and transport. 

Transport – Are delegates travelling locally, regionally, or internationally? Will there be shuttles used to move guests between accommodation and event venues? How much freight and logistics are entailed to bring in equipment?

Procurement – Sourcing local suppliers close to where an event will be hosted doesn’t just keep carbon emissions as low as possible, it also creates an opportunity for the local community.

Catering – Providing seasonal foods that also support local farmers and suppliers is most ideal. In addition, donating surplus food that can still be consumed by those most in need minimises waste. For organic waste, composting is better than sending it to a landfill.

Packaging and branding – Single-use materials should be avoided at all costs, and materials used in branding, such as banners and wraps, should either be repurposed or recycled wherever possible.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg and the start of things to come,” commented Justin Hawes, MD of Scan Display and EGF’s Treasurer, during the workshop’s closing.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Scope 1, 2, and 3 GHGs explained.

In the context of events, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol breaks down GHGs into scopes as follows:

Scope 1: Direct GHG emissions occurring from sources that are owned or controlled by the event.​

Scope 2: Indirect GHG emissions from the generation of purchased electricity used by the event.

Scope 3: Indirect GHG emissions that occur from sources not controlled by the event.

For more information about the EGF and NZCE, click here.