Climate change isn’t a future problem – it’s already here, and its effects are leaving devastating consequences.
Across Europe, frequent, intense heat waves have lethal impacts on an aging population. In Canada, wildfires, flash flooding and storms devastate communities every year, displacing residents and costing billions of dollars. The Arctic Ocean is projected to become essentially ice-free before mid-century.
Through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), the United Nations is urging people to make necessary changes to protect the planet – changes that also provide opportunities to modernize infrastructure, create new jobs, and promote greater prosperity. SDG Goal 13, in particular, focuses on critical action to combat climate change.
Why is SDG 13 important? The global meetings industry is uniquely positioned to reverse the tide: from delegate air travel to carbon emissions from food production, conferences are a major generator of carbon emissions. In fact, the carbon footprint per participant can reach up to 6,600 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Like other SDG Goals, BestCities Global Alliance is taking action to lead the meetings community towards sustainable practices and climate-positive business events, with a goal of reversing the effects of an alarmingly warming planet.
Greener meetings, greener planet
Today, event sustainability is no longer an option – it’s a necessity. The COVID-19 pandemic elevated the concept of virtual global events, which dramatically reduced carbon emissions caused by the meetings industry. However, there is also a social cost to shifting to an online-only format, making it harder to establish strong relationships and accountability for actions that come with face-to-face interactions.
Instead, there are less drastic ways to reduce the environmental footprint of an event. Planners have found success incorporating eco-friendly practices like waste minimization and recycling, promoting public transport, using digital communication tools like apps in lieu of printed materials, and sourcing materials and services from the local community.
A sustainable legacy: leading by example
For years, BestCities has prioritized sustainability in the meetings industry. A recent example is the BestCities 2024 Global Forum in Melbourne, Australia, where BestCities committed to offsetting delegates’ carbon footprints through a partnership with Trees4Events. Together, the organizations offset 149 tonnes of carbon emissions through UN carbon credits and planted 967 trees.
BestCities Commitments were introduced to raise industry standards across the bar, with the entire alliance of 13 cities pledging to advocate for the positive impact of international meetings and elevate sustainability and legacy to the forefront of meeting design. Cities interested in becoming a member of BestCities must demonstrate a strong track record in sustainability and legacy.
SDG Goal 13 in practice: case studies from BestCities destinations
BestCities member destinations are demonstrating admirable leadership in furthering UN SDG Goal 13. Melbourne, for example, set the bar for sustainable medical meetings with Coda 2022, a conference of clinical learning, health advocacy and celebration of the healthcare community. With the support of Melbourne Convention Bureau, Coda 2022 was certified carbon neutral by Climate Active. Sustainability remained front-of-mind throughout the event planning process, with tactics such as:
- Partnering with South Pole to offset emissions;
- Creating banners that were either reused or returned post-event to be transformed into mattress fillings;
- Setting up an eco-café with coffee served in an edible cup and furniture made from 100 percent recycled materials;
- Pop-up activations to promote sustainability and health, such as a Bike n’ Blend to craft delegates’ smoothies;
- Using natural plants as decorations to reduce waste and create a healthier environment; and
- Partnering with OzHarvest to donate un-eaten catered food, among many other sustainable elements.
Another example is the Zero Waste Event held in Tokyo, Japan in 2022. Hosted by Deloitte Tohmatsu Group, and representing the firm’s first attempt at a zero-waste event, the meeting was delivered in a hybrid format with 1,000 participants attending in-person. Deloitte Tohmatsu Group focused on five areas to achieve zero waste:
- Preparing for the right number of people to avoid excess food waste;
- Reusing materials;
- Separately collecting disposable items;
- Reducing plastic bottle use; and
- Using renewable energy sources.
An important learning was that the meeting planner’s efforts alone were not sufficient to achieve a zero-waste event; instead, all stakeholders were required to take action, including venues, vendors and delegates.
Tools for success: sustainable support from BestCities destinations
In addition to planning zero-waste events, BestCities Global Alliance member destinations offer tools to help event planners and delegates take action against climate change.
Madrid, Spain offers Madrid PLUS, a digital platform that helps meeting organizers manage their events’ sustainability and legacy. Using PLUS, planners can generate sustainability reports specific to each meeting hosted in Madrid, while referring to a catalog of recommendations to minimize the meeting’s environmental and social impact and leave a positive legacy within the city.
Copenhagen, Denmark has pledged to be the first carbon-neutral capital by 2025, and the Copenhagen Legacy Lab (CLL) is helping the city reach its objective. The CLL is based on a strategic and systemic process that considers the SDGs and six main drivers of economic growth and societal transformation. In 2024, the CLL expanded its legacy framework for congresses to include events, with the first pilot hosted in connection with the 2024 ISA World SUP & Paddleboard Championship, which will take place in Copenhagen in September 2024.
All of BestCities’ member destinations provide valuable resources such as these. Visit their city pages on our website to explore further.
Tackling climate chaos: plans for a sustainable future
Committed to advancing SDG Goal 13 by advocating for, and providing education around, sustainable business events, BestCities and its partner destinations are combating climate change one meeting at a time. Cities, event planners and stakeholders can likewise adopt sustainable practices and employ strategic tools to join the fight against a warming planet – and, in doing so, help to preserve our home for future generations.
For more information about BestCities’ sustainability and legacy efforts, or for advice on hosting a more sustainable meeting, visit www.bestcities.net/partner-cities/.