7 October 2014: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP), together with several partners, has launched an initiative aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of the 12th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 12) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). A dedicated ‘Carbon Offsetting Fund’ will operate though 17 October, seeking to encourage conference participants, as well as the general public, to offset their emissions resulting from the event.

The initiative was launched by UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner, CBD Executive Secretary Braulio Dias and other high-level officials, who also used the new application to pay for their “carbon debts.”

Funds raised through the Carbon Offsetting Fund, which calculates the footprint and cost for participants’ travel and accommodation, will be used towards supporting indigenous and local communities around the world.

UNEP has, since 2008, sought to minimize its carbon footprint by measuring, reducing and offsetting emissions. The organization, among other things, offsets greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its internal operations through procurement of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) issued by the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol.

The UN Secretary General’s Climate Summit, held on 23 September 2014, in New York, US, engaged in a similar exercise, pledging to offset 18,639 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) through CER purchases. CBD COP 12 is taking place from 6-17 October 2014, in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea. [UNEP Press Release] [IISD RS Story on UNEP Carbon Offsets in 2013] [IISD RS Story on 2014 Climate Summit Carbon Offsets] [IISD RS Coverage of CBD COP 12]