GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

Implementation is the focus of Net Zero Carbon Events in 2024

Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE), the worldwide events industry initiative to address climate change, is now busily engaged on Phase Two of its plan to support events industry organisations on their journeys to net zero carbon emissions.

By Alex Alles, executive director of Joint Meetings Industry Council which leads the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative

Since 2021 and the launch of the Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge at Cop26 in Glasgow, NZCE has developed a wealth of resources to help the events industry organisations. The Net Zero Carbon Events Roadmap was published at Cop27 in November 2022 and in December 2023, a series of advisory reports on Venue Energy; Smart Production and Waste Management; Logistics; Travel and Accommodation; Food and Food Waste; Offsetting, and Measurement.

From January 2024, the campaign has moved from these developments which were the features of Phase One to focus on implementation in Phase Two, aiming at driving adoption of the sustainability practices and progress on roadmaps toward net zero.

This year three further projects will play important roles in this implementation phase.

Materials library

Knowing how much carbon is generated in the manufacturing of materials used within exhibitions and stands is important in their design. We are planning to provide a library of data about the most common materials used in the exhibition space along with the equivalent of carbon typically generated in the manufacture of those materials to help designers. For example, if you are using aluminium framing, this library will give details of the carbon footprint for the production of the aluminium. This is sure to be a highly valuable resource particularly in the exhibitions sector.

We are working closely with the International Federation of Exhibition & Event Services (IFES) on this initiative, which is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.

Best practices for international associations

We are also defining and publishing sustainability best practices specifically for international associations. Working with the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), the European Society for Association Executives (ESAE) and Boardroom, a publication which focuses on associations, we’ll be carrying out research among associations to understand their sustainability strategies especially for the events they organise.

Aiming to publish these by October, we want to inspire other internationally active associations to take up these best practices and follow others in applying them. We know that a lot of associations are at the beginning of their sustainability journey so we want to do all we can to help them with materials customised for them.

Educational webinars

Following the series of free webinars we arranged in December 2023 to support the publication of our best practice documents, this year there will be a new series featuring organisations sharing their experiences and insights of developing and moving forward with their roadmaps to net-zero carbon emissions. With venues, event organisers and service providers among them, we hope to offer up to ten this year.

As all NZCE signatories have pledged to achieve net-zero by 2050 and must publish a roadmap on how they will achieve that goal, these webinars will openly provide examples of how to face the challenges they will encounter in starting and staying on track. They also have the opportunity to use the vast range of resources including the Net Zero Carbon Events roadmap.

African organisations engage

More than 650 organisations from across the world are either supporters or signatories of the Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge. Among them are a number based in Africa including All About Africa, Global Events Africa, Scan Display, Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI), Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), and Dragonfly Africa/Green Route Africa.

When I took part in the Event Greening Forum at Meetings Africa, I was greatly impressed by the vast number of organisations that engaged with the Forum and also approached me for further information about the initiative. There is clearly a rapidly increasing interest and commitment to sustainability within organisations based in Africa. It’s great news.

Net Zero Carbon Events is open to all organisations involved in events. Registration is free of charge, but financial contributions are crucial to developing the campaign. Please visit www.netzerocarbonevents.org/ funding-opportunities for further information. www.netzerocarbonevents.org.

Who is Alex Alles?

Alex Alles is the executive director of the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) and the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative. Alex joined the JMIC in August 2022. He is responsible for the overall operations of the association as well as the project office of the Net Zero Carbon Events. NZCE is an industry-wide initiative aiming to help stakeholders of the meetings and events sectors to decarbonise. Before joining JMIC, Alex held different positions, including marketing and finance. He was mainly dedicated to investment and trade promotion between Europe and Asia. Throughout his career, Alex has been organising numerous business events, from small meetings to large conferences.