Global sustainability leaders gathered online during COP29 to reflect on the progress of the Net Zero Carbon Events (NZCE) initiative so far and shared some emerging tools and AI that are helping organisations on their journey.
Almost a decade ago, the worldโs leaders signed the Paris Agreement to try and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius. Recognising its role as one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, the events industry launched the Net-Zero Carbon Events (NZCE) initiative in 2021 at COP26 to address the meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) sectorsโ impact on the environment. However, according to the recent United Nations Emissions Gap Report, carbon emissions rose by 1.3% in 2023 and are predicted to rise to as much as 3 degrees Celsius โ double the limit agreed to.
Now, as COP29 takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan, global leaders are gathering again as the need for actionable steps, practical tools and international partnerships to reduce carbon footprints is greater than ever before. As part of the global climate summit, on 14 November, the leaders who had originally launched the NZCE initiative hosted an online session to reemphasise how important it is for the MICE industry to take up the pledge and start delivering on their commitments.
GORDโs Kishor Rajhansa and Joseph Prakash, UNFCCC Secretariatโs Suriya Mues, JMICโs James Rees and Alexander Alles, UNEPโs Asa Elisabeth Tynell, UFIโs Kai Hattendorf, and ICCAโs Senthil Gopinath shared some helpful resources to help the industry on their journey:
GET โ Green Events Tool
During the session, the integration of the NZCE methodology into the Green Events Tool (GET) was announced. Developed by the United Nations and managed by the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD), the tool has already proven instrumental in measuring the carbon footprints of UN conferences, and by incorporating NZCE’s measurement methodology, the tool is now set to cater specifically to the needs of the business events industry.
โSince its inception at COP26 in Glasgow, the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative has made remarkable progress in advancing sustainability practices within the business events industry. Thanks to the collective efforts of our community, we have achieved significant clarity on environmental aspects relevant to our sector, clearing the way towards a more sustainable future,โ said Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC) President James Rees.
The GET provides a data-driven approach to measuring the carbon emissions of various event components, such as energy usage, transportation, waste, and material consumption. The integration of the NZCE methodology introduces specific metrics for business events, addressing the unique challenges and characteristics of conferences, trade shows, and exhibitions. For example, business events tend to have large-scale international attendance, which can create complexities in measuring and reducing emissions from international travel, venue operations, and on-site materials.
SHE โ Sustainable Hub for Events
The panel discussion also reflected on the successful beta launch of the Sustainable Hub for Events (SHE) in October. Developed by Gevme, in collaboration with the NZCE initiative and the Strategic Alliance of National Convention Bureaux of Europe, the platform is designed to simplify sustainable event planning with actionable, AI-powered insights.
The platform has undergone considerable upgrades since then, rolling out new features like a Learning Module, which offers extensive educational content on topics like carbon offsetting, measurement, and eco-friendly travel planning. The platform also includes guidance on event legacy planning, helping organisers ensure long-term sustainability.
The AI model has also been improved, leveraging the latest large language models (LLMs) to enhance the toolโs understanding and reasoning capabilities. This ensures that recommendations are more precise and tailored to the specific needs of events.
โThe new features and data contributions make the platform even more impactful for event professionals looking to reduce their environmental footprint,โ said JMIC Executive Director Alexander Alles.
The platform, which is available in over 30 languages, is now accepting contributions from multiple stakeholders. Copenhagen, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands have already provided extensive data to enhance the platformโs capabilities.
EGF โ Green Database
The panellists called on the MICE industry to actively participate in sustainability efforts by measuring and sharing their carbon data on platforms like the Green Events Tool (GET) and the Sustainable Hub for Events (SHE). They emphasised that collaborative data-sharing is critical to creating benchmarks, identifying best practices, and making progress on the road to NZCE.
In South Africa, the Event Greening Forum (EGF) has developed a supplier database that is designed to simplify the eco-procurement process for event planners. The Green Database is an online resource that hosts over 260 listings, covering a wide range of venues, products, and service providers that uphold environmentally and socially responsible practices. Each listing details the sustainable benefits of the supplier, whether environmental, social, or both. These benefits may include renewable energy use, waste reduction strategies, community upliftment projects, or water-saving initiatives.
By combining local initiatives like the Green Database with international innovations like GET and SHE, the MICE industry can create a comprehensive ecosystem of sustainability-focused resources to help event organisers achieve NZCE by 2050.
