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The
6th Global Civil Society Forum
A
Carbon-Neutral Meeting |
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We are proud to host the 6th Global Civil Society
Forum as a carbon-neutral meeting. The Major Groups and Stakeholders
Branch of UNEP’s Division of Policy Development and Law will
allocate additional funds for each flight of the invited participants.
The amount corresponds to funds needed for compensating the CO2
emitted by the return-flights of the participants. |
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In
cooperation with the non-governmental organisation myclimate,
the raised funds will support a unique climate protection
project that reduces greenhouse emissions and also contributes
to sustainable development. This goal is mainly achieved
by replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy sources,
enforcing energy saving measures and by introducing new,
more effective technologies.
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myclimate
only accepts projects that comply with the CDM Gold Standard
(Project Design Document of the Clean Development Mechanism)
and the directives for projects in developing countries under
the Kyoto Protocol. As we have Africa as our hosting region
for the 6th Global Civil Society Forum, we have chosen to
support projects in Eritrea and South Africa.
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Solar
energy in Eritrea
In collaboration with the Eritrean company Tesinma, myclimate
is installing 200 solar collectors for water heating purposes
in schools, hospitals and households. Due to its long sunny
hours, Eritrea is ideally suited for the production of solar
energy. Local cooperation and contribution is strongly emphasized.
The solar systems are manufactured locally and local technicians
are trained by the Swiss Langenbruck Eco-Center.
In 2002, the first six plants have been successfully installed
at the top of the hospital in Dekemhare. The Eritrean Ministry
of Energy supports this shift towards renewable heat production
with a broad advertising campaign. At the local Don Bosco
School, which will be equipped with collectors as well, teachers
participate in an educational training concerned with solar
heat production and praise broader awareness among the students
and within the community.
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| Project Report |
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Clean
Power in South Africa
The wastewater treatment plant in Sebokeng Township, approximately
30 km Southwest of Johannesburg, purifies 65 million litres
of sewage water every day. Through this process sewage gas
is set free with a high concentration of methane, a potent
greenhouse gas and valuable fuel. At present this gas is being
exhausted into the atmosphere. |
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The
project seeks to capture the sewage gas and use it as a fuel
for power generation. The replacement of the coal-based electricity
from the grid will presumably lead to a total emission reduction
of approximately 58,000 t of CO2 equivalents over 10 years.
The project triggers new investments in the economically disadvantaged
township Sebokeng. Further, it helps increasing the quality
of the sewage water purification process, which is crucial
to the health of the local population. In addition, training
and work places for local engineers are created. |
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With
our initiative of a carbon-neutral Global Civil Society Forum we
would like to demonstrate our will to the implementation of environmental
policy and show existing possibilities of effective greenhouse gas
reduction. Please see also the Information
note by myclimate (PDF, 4.1 MB).
We
wish to inspire you to undertake a carbon-neutral air travel programme
in your organisation or for your private travelling. Diverse organisations
work on such initiative and contribute to energy efficiency, renewable
energy and afforestation projects in developing countries:
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myclimate
is an non-governmental organisation that was founded in 2002 as
a spin-off from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (website
in English and German). We have chosen them as our partner for
their efficient service for carbon offset and their high project
standards. myclimate is also present in the United
Kingdom.
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Future
Forests
Future Forests is a UK-based company with a global vision: to
protect the earth's climate. It offers services to calculate
your CO2 emissions, learn how to reduce them, and buy products
and gifts that contribute to projects which compensate for unavoidable
emissions.
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Climate
Care
Climate Care is a UK-based organisation that provides a calculator
for greenhouse gas emissions from private and commercial energy
consumption. Climate Care also funds technology projects that
reduce emissions at source and reforestation projects that sequester
CO2 from the atmosphere.
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atmosfair
A German organisation (website in German) with the Executive
Director of UNEP, Klaus Toepfer, as patron. It provides an CO2
calculator and funds projects for renewable energy in developing
countries.
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PRIMAKLIMA
- welweit e.V.
PRIMAKLIMA, an NGO based in Germany (website in English and
German), is financing and promoting afforestation and forest
conservation projects all over the world as an important contribution
to mitigate global climate change. The organisation provides
a simple mechanism by which 50 metric ton of CO2 is absorbed
by trees in 50 years for a single payment of 75 Euro.
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SafeClimate
carbon footprint calculator
SafeClimate, a project of the Sustainable Enterprise Program
at World Resources Institute, provides the tools, information,
and connections to help you take positive action in your organisation,
home and local community, including a carbon footprint
calculator that allows to determine carbon dioxide emissions
from major sources such as home energy consumption and travel
by car and plane.
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Printable
Version
