Cop27 and the Challenge of Hosting Green Events

Cop27 and the Challenge of Hosting Green Events

What would it mean to you to host green events? You might think of it as too expensive or unnecessary, but here’s why you should consider eco-friendly options at your next event, no matter how small or large. No matter what type of event you are hosting, working with an events company that understands the importance of sustainability and looks to integrate these concepts into all of their logistics and production on the ground will help you move closer toward your goal of creating environmentally-friendly events.

What is COP27?

The cop stands for a conference of the parties under the UNFCCC, an international climate change treaty. It also signifies that we are in the midst of climate change as a global issue, with dangerous consequences if not addressed. To become a sustainable event management company, we want to focus on becoming net zero events management companies - an event which causes no carbon emissions or greenhouse gases. A sustainable event has been designed to have minimal environmental impacts on resources such as land use and water use, which could be incredibly challenging during COP27. It will involve significant logistical hurdles, but we must stay true to our values, mission statement, and vision by planning net zero events. If we can show how sustainability can happen at conferences like this one in EGYPT, it will give people hope when it comes to climate change because climate change has so many hidden impacts.

Why is it essential for events management companies to be sustainable and green?

Its essential for all business, not only events, and this is the answer; if it's necessary to the planet and all business, that means important to the events industry; however, events are critical because they bring a significant footprint on earth through their production and logistics and frequency.

It reduces environmental harm and keeps ethics and values at the forefront of the event strategy. Events that lead to sustainability do so with environmental, economic and social values at their core. Net Zero Events are sustainable events addressing climate change from inception to completion. With Net Zero Event planning, we can achieve goals such as 100% renewable energy, compostable food waste disposal systems and eco-friendly office practices. Sustainable events reduce carbon emissions and have a positive impact on the environment. A green event doesn't just happen - it has been planned by professionals who understand how sustainable practices will benefit your company's bottom line and impact our environment today and into the future.  Working with environmentally conscious vendors helps guarantee that every detail of your event, from transportation to catering, is aligned with your vision. When you put sustainability first, it becomes an opportunity for growth and innovation for you and the people around you. It allows everyone to participate in something bigger than themselves while feeling good about their actions. It’s better for the environment and human health, too. At NewLevel Egypt, Our goal is to be a sustainable achiever in all logistics and productions on the ground so we can help with climate change.

What are some of the challenges in hosting green events?

Here are a few challenges that any event management company faces when hosting green events

1-Green events can be quite costly

This is because sustainable and green logistics, materials, transportation, equipment, food production etc., can cost more than the conventional methods. Fortunately, there are many ways to offset costs for such events through sponsorships from companies who would like to showcase their sustainability practices or other initiatives, such as obtaining free products or services in exchange for promotion on social media.

2-Resources may not always be available for your venue(s), but after raising awareness about green events, the access to resources for producing sustainable events such as solar-powered lighting, biodegradable cutlery and plates, green transportation, etc., being more straightforward and more accessible with today's technologies. For example, suppose you were looking to create a net zero event (one where renewable sources meet all the electricity needs). In that case, some venues now offer solar power setups that can generate enough power for an event at no extra charge (or offer credits). Likewise, many sustainable packaging providers offer innovative options such as compostable cups, which means you can eliminate waste.

3-Finding suppliers of eco-friendly furniture, décor and amenities can also be difficult as the supplier can impact the environment from the practices and materials involved in manufacturing, delivering, and disposing of goods. Still, the suppliers are starting to offer great products made of recycled materials, which help reduce the environmental footprint.

4-Event staff (e.g., caterers, bouncers) may have limited knowledge about executing an event while maintaining high levels of environmental stewardship. Still, every event management company’s role is to educate event staff about best practices, so they can deliver high-quality events while reducing their ecological footprint.

5-Lastly, potential attendees may need more awareness of environmentally responsible etiquette. For example, they may need to learn what to do with waste at the end of the day and what disposable products they should bring with them. But with rising awareness, new technologies and innovative companies are coming up to support green events in their quest to tackle climate change. For example, at Cop27, they will be providing reusable plastic-free water bottles to all attendees for free.

Ultimately, the biggest challenge is balancing making your event environmentally sustainable and meeting its objectives to ensure success. However, finding ways to overcome these challenges is key to creating an event that takes sustainable practices into account while still being enjoyable for attendees. It will help you as a green event management company to win over other events management companies to host more green events in future.

How can event planners make their events more sustainable?

Event management/planning companies should choose to participate in carbon-credit schemes. This allows organisations to invest in environmental projects to offset the carbon produced, resulting in a carbon-neutral event so we can help in climate change. For “NewLevel Egypt “to fulfil our sustainability commitment, we must commit ourselves to proprovidere than quality event planning. For instance, by designing more than just a booth or standing tent with limited energy-efficient resources. We need to ensure that every event aspect is as environmentally friendly as possible!

Explore the ways to make your event more sustainable.

Choosing a venue is one of your most critical choices when planning an event. If you want to make your event more sustainable, select a forum that reflects your sustainability goals.

The most sustainable event venue you could use is the great outdoors, but if this isn't an option for you, there are still many options. Consider selecting venues close to public transportation routes, willing to offer free bike parking, within walking distance of a train station, and don't require any travel outside their borders (no long car rides!). 

Ø  Try to choose a venue that has solar panels on its roof; has a rainwater harvesting system; doesn't rely on air conditioning; has compost bins on site for food waste recycling, uses organic flowers where possible, offers locally sourced and seasonal foods offers eco-friendly catering options like reusable plates and cutlery, supports local businesses that align with their mission, etc.

Ø  To be ultimately plastic free, replace plastic cups with reusable glasses and use metal or wooden cutlery and reusable plates for meals.

Ø  Paper is a more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic. However, trees still need to be cut down to create paper. Use paperless ( Digital) options for registration, tickets, directions, transportation information, rooming lists, etc.

Ø  Reduce Water Usage; rather than handing out plastic water bottles, give guests a refillable steel or glass bottle at check-in, have fresh cold-water stations available throughout the venue grounds and put up signs directing guests to them. Use low-flow toilets and urinals whenever possible. Be aware of all taps used at events; shut off faucets when not in use. And finally, be careful not to overfill sinks with too much soap, which leads to unnecessary water wastage.

By making all these small changes, you can improve your event’s carbon footprint and reduce its environmental impact on Earth. In doing so, event planners will act as good stewards for their organisation, helping organiorganisationssteps towards reaching their climate change goals and helping Mother Earth!

What are some tips for reducing waste at events?

To ensure a sustainable event, here are some tips for reducing waste:

Think about how you package your food. Avoid single-use plastic and reusable containers, cups, napkins and more. Look at packaging materials - choosing options that can be reused is a great way to reduce waste from throwaway containers or paper plates and utensils. For instance, if you plan to use disposable plates, choose ones made from renewable wood instead of non-renewable petroleum-based plastics.

Think about how you feed guests. Provide plenty of water refill stations with water pitchers so guests don’t have to fill up individual cups whenever they want a drink. It also cuts down on dishes since each person gets a water bottle. Also, if any food is left over, donate it to a local food bank or shelter instead of sending it to a landfill.

Incorporate compost bins into your venue to cut down on trash collection costs and lessen the amount of waste in landfills and dumpsites. Ensure compostable items such as cloth tableware, unpackaged snacks and food scraps are used during the event so you can avoid having any recyclables mixed in with other garbage. Recycle whatever you can by sorting all recyclables into designated bins before taking them to recycling facilities after the event ends.

Implementing sustainable practices can help you make significant changes that leave a small footprint.

If we want to save our planet, Start implementing these sustainable measures today as events management professionals!

 What Are We Aiming to at NewLevelEgypt?

We at NewLevelEgypt – as one of the members of the sustainable event alliance in Australia and with deep theoretical understanding and more than ten years of practical experience in the events field – are trying to achieve net zero events for our clients by applying the below tips.

1.  Embed the ideals of sustainable development into the organisation or event.
2. Commit to sustainable event management by providing resources to enable it – time, people, money, materials, and knowledge.
3. Have a sustainability policy for the organisation or event.
4. Work toward relevant event industry standards, certification or reporting principles.
5. Continually undergo skills and capacity building through the event organising team, supply chain and workforce
6. Work with the supply chain to encourage sustainability.
7. Communicate with all stakeholders about the organization’s/event’s sustainability commitment.
8. Work to reduce resource consumption. (energy, water, natural and non-renewable resources)
9. Work to reduce the environmental impacts of event purchasing and operations. (emissions to air, land and water – including toxicity issues)
10. Carry out due diligence along the supply chain to ensure the most sustainable purchasing choices are made. This should cover issues such as no child labour, fair labour practices, no forced and compulsory labour, sustainable materials, environmentally responsible manufacturing operations, eco-labelling, organic, local production etc.
11. Manage waste along the principles of Zero Waste.
12. Factory waste processes at the event – to engage participants in the principles of separation and diversion from landfill.
13. Reduce the transport impacts of the event through public transport access planning, using the local product and service providers, considering the destination at the outset, and streamlining all participant ground and air transport and freight planning.
14. Prioritize health and safety, diversity and equal opportunity, and fair working conditions for the event workforce.
15. Consider accessibility issues, including access for complaints and grievances, disabled and elderly access, fair ticketing practices etc.
16. Carry out activities adhering to the responsible business practices of behaviourist, integrity, stewardship and participating and not participating in anti-competitive behaviour, bribery or corruption
17. Protection of biodiversity and the natural environment in the immediate event vicinity and as the supply chain impacts it.
18. Communicate with and engage the local community.
19. Design in legacy, including resources, knowledge, environment restoration, innovation, skills, business opportunities and economic support.
20. Ensure respect for cultural or religious sensitivities, indigenous rights and vulnerable groups.
21. Ensure the event is safe for all participants.
22. Measure and report impacts, including keeping up to date with the event industry norms of reporting scope.
23. Feed reporting into national or international benchmarking programs so that event benchmarks can be established (where they exist).
24. Be transparent in event reporting and allow stakeholders access to performance results.
25. Make no unsubstantiated and unclarified claims about the sustainability performance of the event or organisation.
26. Make no claims around staging a zero-waste event if the amount of waste sent to energy recovery is substantially more significant than what is reused or recycled (including composted).
27. Make only transparent and detailed claims around environmental impact metrics (GHG emissions particularly).
28. Consultants cannot verify or audit the event they are consulting for compliance with a certification program that requires independent certification.
29. Consultants will not create their certifications and ‘brand’ the events they consult to as receiving this certification.