Zurich, 25 June 2014 South Pole Carbon, partner of WRF since last year’s conference in Davos, compensates all CO2 emissions caused by the 160 participants of the Energiekonzept-Kongress (Energy Concept Congress) which was held on the 23rd of May in St. Gallen. Some 2.656 tonnes of CO2 equivalents (see Certificate) were produced by the participants of our conference, in form of travels, conference materials, logistics and catering.

The idea behind carbon offsetting is that emissions created in one place are lessened in another place. As a consequence, the total amount of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions is being reduced. Like this, emissions that cannot be avoided are tackled.

South Pole Carbon compensates the CO2-emissions of the Energy Concept Congress with a large forest protection project in Zimbabwe. Its aim is to reduce deforestation and forest degradation through a range of activities proposed by local communities and financed by project supporters. These include the establishment of nutritional gardens, conservation agriculture, honey production, forest fire prevention and enhanced wildlife conservation.

South Pole Carbon’s Gian Autenrieth spoke at the conference and introduced the main activities of his organisation, which has a large number of emission reduction projects ranging from wastewater treatment, hydropower, windpower, cooking stoves, to geothermal or forest activites.

South Pole Carbon has agreed to also compensate the CO2-emissions caused by the next WRF 2014 event in Arequipa, Peru.

South Pole Carbon already compensated the CO2-emissions of all the participants at WRF 2013 in Davos last October, which supported the same Kariba project in Northern Zimbabwe.