Efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of the meetings industry are a priority for all members of the Strategic Alliance of the National European Convention Bureaux. Net zero refers to the balance between greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions produced by human activity and their removal from the atmosphere. To achieve this balance, greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced, and those that cannot be avoided must be compensated for or "neutralized" through the use of long-term carbon capture solutions.

The action plan (also known as the roadmap) for Net Zero Carbon Events for 2022–2050 was announced in November 2022 during the COP27 summit in Egypt. As sustainability actions stemming from the initiative progress, the plan will be updated. It will also include actions aimed at a broader group of stakeholders in the event industry, including exhibitors, who are crucial to the industry's ability to decarbonize.

One of the key objectives of the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative is to create a framework of consistent standards and joint actions to be undertaken by the events industry in order to achieve the goal of Net Zero Carbon by 2050. The initiative is already supported by 700 entities from over 60 countries worldwide.

Poland in the Net Zero Carbon Events Initiative

In Poland, the signatories of the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative include:

• Kraków5020 Sp. z o.o., operator Centrum Kongresowego ICE Kraków
• Polska Izba Przemysłu Targowego (PIPT) - Polish Chamber of Exhibition Industry
• Symposium Cracoviense Sp. z o.o.

- Sustainable development means achieving a full balance between three factors of civilizational progress: economic, social, and ecological. This is a huge challenge facing the meetings industry as well. It is worth noting that soon, together with representatives from Kraków5020, we will participate in the first edition of a conference dedicated to reducing the carbon footprint of the meetings industry – Convene4Climate, which will take place in Barcelona on October 2-3, 2024. The event is organized by the Strategic Alliance of the National European Convention Bureaux and PCMA. Our participation in the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative is a small but important step toward raising environmental awareness, strengthening the image of the Polish industry, and contributing to the achievement of global climate goals, said Aneta Książek, head of the Poland Convention Bureau PTO.

More about the Net Zero Carbon Events initiative: Signatories / Supporters | Net Zero Carbon Events