[Coral-List] Carbon offsetting AND the need for innovative problem solvers to halt climate change

[ICRS 2020 Conference Secretariat]

*ICRS 2020 Green Strateg*y

Dear colleagues,

The ICRS 2020 Secretariat in partnership with ICRS leadership would like 
to contribute the following to the current discussion on 
carbon-offsetting and possible measures to reduce the CO2 footprint of 
the upcoming 14th International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS 2020) in 
Bremen, Germany:

It is a central concern to organise ICRS 2020 as a sustainable and 
climate-neutral event. Plans for the implementation of measures to 
minimise and offset environmental impacts were therefore already 
included in the ICRS 2020 bid that was submitted in 2016.

Inspired by the example of COP23 in Bonn/Fiji, the ICRS 2020 Secretariat 
works together with local expert agencies with experience in the fields 
of sustainable management, energy efficiency, renewable energies and CO2 
compensation. Together with these partners, ICRS 2020 is introducing a 
two-stage approach to (1) minimise the production of waste and emissions 
locally and (2) offset all unavoidable emissions produced locally and 
ultimately by the large number of delegates travelling to Bremen.

Among the ongoing efforts to reduce local waste production and CO2 
footprint of ICRS 2020 is the development of a sustainable model concept 
for vegetarian conference catering based on regional/seasonal products, 
a pioneering project recently funded by the German Federal Environmental 
Foundation (DBU). Inevitable CO2 emissions generated locally will be 
offset in certified local renaturation and remediation projects. In 
order to offset the emissions caused by the delegates' travels, ICRS 
2020 has selected certified remediation projects on tropical coasts in 
the immediate vicinity and/or with a positive impact on local coral reefs.

The ICRS 2020 Secretariat is also considering measures to enable access 
to conference content via online services. Discussions with private 
foundations and local logistic partners on possibilities for 
implementation are ongoing.

ICRS 2020 is currently looking for sponsors/supporters to cover the cost 
for offsetting the unavoidable emissions. Please contact us if you are 
interested to sponsor these efforts for making ICRS 2020 a 
climate-neutral global event.

A website for the ICRS 2020 Green Strategy is in preparation and will be 
launched in the near future on www.icrs2020.de <http://www.icrs2020.de> 
and www.icrs2020.com <http://www.icrs2020.com> .

Many thanks and greetings,
Malik Naumann and Christian Wild
ICRS 2020 Secretariat

with Andréa Grottoli and Joanie Kleypas
ICRS President and Vice-President

-- 
ICRS 2020 Conference Secretariat / Konferenzsekretariat

The University of Bremen / Universität Bremen
UFT, Leobener Str. 6, D-28359 Bremen, Germany
T +49-(0)421-218-63303
www.icrs2020.de <http://www.icrs2020.de>