19 October 2017: In the first edition of a series highlighting different aspects of sustainability including transport, waste management, catering, energy and offsetting, the UNFCCC has published details of plans to ensure that the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the UNFCCC is “sustainable to the greatest possible extent.”

The series accompanies an announcement from the UNFCCC that COP 23 will be “climate-neutral.” COP 23 climate-neutral program will use three kinds of measures: energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy and offsetting unavoidable emissions.

COP 23 climate-neutral program will use three kinds of measures: energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy and offsetting unavoidable emissions.

It is estimated that most emissions caused by COP 23 are the result of transport, with delegates’ international travel responsible for the largest share. Emissions from local travel will be reduced through the provision of renewable energy-powered electric vehicle shuttles that will transfer delegates between the two conference zones. The Conference venue itself will be managed sustainably, including its use of resources such as energy, waste and water.

Following the completion of COP 23, the UNFCCC’s Sustainability Taskforce will calculate the overall GHG-footprint of all aspects of the Conference, including travel, food, local transport and accommodation, which will then be externally verified under the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS). All unavoidable emissions resulting from the COP will be offset, with the Government of Germany committing to purchase certified emission credits, preferably from Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects registered in small island developing States (SIDS), in recognition of the Fijian Presidency of COP 23.

In a further effort to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport, the UNFCCC has announced a partnership with Ethanol Europe Renewables Ltd (EERL), aiming to promote the use of biofuels as lower-carbon alternatives to fossil fuels. EERL’s ‘Climate Ethanol Alliance’ of bioethanol producers aims to speed up the low-carbon transition of the transport sector through the promotion of climate action. [UNFCCC Press Release on COP 23 Going Climate-Neutral] [UNFCCC Press Release on UNFCCC Partnering with EERL]