COP24 environmentally friendly

The UN global climate conference -COP24, which takes place on 2-14 December in Katowice, is organized in accordance with the environmental policy of the Ministry of the Environment, entered in the register of the eco-management and audit system EMAS.

As a result the event, which will be attended by over 26,000 guests, remains environmentally friendly. EMAS -certification of the Polish Environment Ministry as a source of the highest environmental standards during COP24. The pro-ecological dimension of the conference includes the promotion of public and low-emission transport, common use of reusable materials, waste sorting and compensation for unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions by afforestation of approximately 700 ha of the country's area after the conference. 

The climate change conference is the best place to promote solutions that make even the biggest events environmentally neutral. The highest European standards in this area are contained in EMAS - the eco-management and audit system, created on the basis of the European Parliament regulation from 2009. Each institution, by registering voluntarily to EMAS, declares to take care of the environment at every stage of its activity through effective management of energy and natural resources. One of them is the Polish Ministry of the Environment, responsible for the organisation of the UN global climate summit -COP24. Therefore, everything in Katowice, including warming large halls and plates and cups in buffets, is prepared with a view to natural environment.

In the framework of good environmental practices settled by EMAS on COP24 we:

• promote sustainable transport - guests are encouraged to use transport, car sharing/electric cars, and logistic tasks are carried out before or after rush hours. On the other hand, we can use an electric scooter to move around the rally facilities,
• minimize the use of resources and raw materials, e.g. water or electricity, thanks to modern sanitary equipment or using energy-saving light bulbs,
• print ecologically- double-sided, using recycled or certified paper, relying on electronic communication (E-agreements),
• segregate waste for reuse, sorting and recycling,
• avoid the use of disposable products,
• prepared decorations of commercial rooms - offices, pavilions, conference rooms, are made of reusable materials. Just like backdrops, platforms or wall elements. A large part of furniture is also biodegradable products,
• minimize our greenhouse gas emissions - but we will not eliminate them. Therefore, we will fully compensate for the COP24 summit, afforestation of about 700 ha of Poland's area,

On the last day of the climate conference, the Minister of the Environment, Henryk Kowalczyk, during the panel "EMAS - in practice", will present the jubilee the EMAS certificates.
 

Source: cop24.gov.pl