Continuing with their solid sustainable event management leadership, the Danish government has decided tooffset the entire measured emisions of the cop15 climate conference.
The UNFCCC secretariat in Bonn has an initial estimate of the overall emissions from COP15 at 40,500 tonnes of CO2. However with the greater number of attendees the figure will be much higher.
The government will offset the emisions via a project in Bangladesh which involves replacing outdated brick kilns in Dhaka. The investment will be approx 700.000€. This is probably one of the largest conferences ever offset.
At the Bella Center a wind turbine was installed as an energy showcase. The turbine generates energy that feeds the national grid. The lifecycle carbon impact of the turbine is more than the carbon saved by the energy generated upto COP15. However if it stays in place post cop15 then it will start to generate long term carbon benefits.
Its important to mention that the best carbon strategy is always reduce and this is what the government team have been focused on.
More information can be found www.sustainability.cop15.dk or read this excellent post at http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/12/copenhagen-footprint-up-in-smoke.php