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Pushing the Boundaries:
Facilitation Frontiers
Charles Sturt University, Bathurst - New South Wales, Australia 26-28 November 2008
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SUSTAINABILITY: CARBON OFFSET PROGRAM
Every activity of modern life - in our buildings, our transport, production and preparation of the food and drink we consume, manufacture of the diverse goods and materials we use - all of these have an impact on the planet.
For several decades we have been coming to grips with the implications of human impacts, particularly those which can be expressed in terms of Greenhouse gas emissions. It is now widely accepted that wherever possible we need to reduce the sum of our impacts, as individuals, as communities, and as a global community.
Social Responsibility is a value which underpins our Conference. As part of our Sustainability Policy we are seeking firstly to avoid and reduce as many environmental impacts as possible from our activities.
Some impacts cannot be avoided, and some cannot be reduced, as they are beyond the limits of our control.
But we can compensate for what we cannot avoid or reduce - that much is within our control.
For unavoidable impacts from the Conference, we calculate the likely impact in terms of Greenhouse gas emissions, and offset the impact by investment in projects for the abatement (reduction) and sequestration (locking up) of gases in the form of carbon.
This has the effect of reducing the total 'carbon footprint' of the event, the impact it has on the planet.
In choosing projects which will make our event 'carbon neutral', we can then select options which maximise environmental gains - over and above carbon offsets.
The Conference carbon offset program takes two forms:
- a small levy on each registration fee, based on calculation of the likely carbon footprint of the Conference event - this is paid by the organisers to an accredited carbon offset program
- encouragement of participants to offset voluntarily the carbon emissions of their travel to and from the Conference.
Levy on registration
This premium carbon neutral product has been chosen because:
A $4 levy has been added to the registration fee.
This will be paid by the organisers to the Breathe Easycarbon neutral product managed by Greening Australia
- it guarantees that every tree planted will remain in the ground for 100 years
- it ensures that plantings are done with the right species, in the right place, at the right time of year for maximum survival and benefit
- it has rigorous quality assurance, including on-going management
- it is designed to meet and exceed all requirements of the Kyoto Climate Control Treaty, the NSW Greenhouse Gas Abatement Scheme and the Australian Government's Greenhouse Friendly Initiative
- instead of monoculture (single species) plantations, it focuses on mass planting of a diversity of native species to offer a triple benefit:
- carbon offsets to significantly reduce the impacts of Greenhouse gas emissions on the atmosphere
- landscape recovery to reverse the long-term impacts of land degradation, which are expressed as soil erosion, salinity and reduced water quality
- nurturing biodiversity (including threatened species and communities) by restoring the diversity of native habitats with a combination of grasses, shrubs and trees for food and shelter, and linking together areas of native vegetation which have become isolated by clearing and development
- Greening Australia has more than 25 years of experience in planting native vegetation for environmental repair, and is included on the United Nations Global 500 Honour Roll for outstanding achievement in environmental protection.
This choice means that unavoidable environmental impacts of the conference can be offset with significant environmental benefits, in major projects such as Gondwana Link
The levy on registration fees is sufficient to offset around 30 tonnes of carbon dioxide - roughly equal to the carbon emitted by 5 cars through one year, or about 5 households for six months - plus environmental benefits as part of mass plantings for landscape recovery and biodiversity conservation.
Voluntary offsetting of travel
In addition to the levy on registration, all participants are urged to offset voluntarily the carbon emissions of their travel to and from the Conference.
We recommend that participants use the Breathe Easy
A number of airlines now provide calculators and offset programs which are readily accessed during booking enquiries. Some of these do not allow the traveller any choice about the kind of carbon neutral product in which their offset contribution will be invested. Not all offer triple-benefit products.
