COP15 UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE CONFERENCE COPENHAGEN EVENT SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

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1 COP15 UNITED NATIONS CLIMATE CONFERENCE COPENHAGEN PREPARED BY THE COPENHAGEN SUSTAINABLE MEETINGS COALITION APRIL 2010

2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Project Partners This report was produced by the Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Coalition on behalf of the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo Credits Photos were provided by Emil Lyders (Das Buro), Guy Bigwood (MCI), Bella Center A/S, Mark Garten (UN), VisitDenmark and Wonderful Copenhagen Convention & Visitors Bureau. Graphical Design and Editing Jean-Philippe Pirard (MCI Brussels) and Stephen Watt. Contact In the interest of constant improvement, all ideas and comments about this report are welcome. Please address comments to Copyright Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Coalition 2009 Authors and Contributors This report was prepared by Guy Bigwood and Michael Luehrs of MCI Sustainability Services with the input and contribution of Lene Mortensen, Anders Emborg and Kristian Ortving (Bella Center), Heather Palen and Susanne Stormer (Novo Nordisk), Steen Jakobsen and Lise-Lotte Skovdal (Wonderful Copenhagen Convention & Visitors Bureau), Lotte Kjærgaard and Signe Gaarde (City of Copenhagen), Lotte Wagner (MCI Copenhagen), Jonathan Cohen and Lars Blicher-Hansen (VisitDenmark), Jan- Christoph Napierski and Svend Olling (Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Fernando Castellanos Silveira (UNFCCC), Stine Balslev (Deloitte) and Henrik Michel Kjaer (CISCO). This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from the copyright holder, provided acknowledgement of the source is made (including photos). The Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Coalition would appreciate receiving a copy of any publication that uses this publication as a source. No use of this publication may be made for resale or for any other commercial purpose whatsoever without prior permission in writing from the Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Coalition. Disclaimer The designations employed, the views expressed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not necessarily represent the decision or the stated policy of the United Nations or the Danish Government. 2

3 CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SUSTAINABILITY HIGHLIGHTS INTRODUCTION REPORT PURPOSE REPORT SCOPE AND BOUNDARY CONFERENCE OVERVIEW COP15 IN NUMBERS SUSTAINABILITY APPROACH COPENHAGEN SUSTAINABLE MEETINGS PROTOCOL PROJECT ORGANISATION LEADERSHIP STRATEGY STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT OPERATIONAL INTEGRATION GOVERNANCE SUSTAINABILITY ACTIONS AND INNOVATIONS DESTINATION ACCOMMODATION TRANSPORTATION THE VENUE BELLA CENTRE FOOD AND BEVERAGE EXHIBITS AUDIOVISUALS AND IT MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION

4 CONTENTS SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE EVENT CARBON FOOTPRINT SOCIAL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE MEASURING PARTICIPANT SATISFACTION LOCAL COMMUNITY FEEDBACK BENCHMARKING PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE AGAINST OBJECTIVES EVENT SYSTEM PERFORMANCE BS8901 AUDIT CARBON NEUTRALITY AND EMISSIONS OFFSETTING KEY CHALLENGES AND INSIGHTS TOP TEN INSIGHTS KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR UNFCCC AND FUTURE EVENT HOSTS CONCLUSION INDEX REFERENCES

5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Commitment COP15 was a singularly inspiring and challenging opportunity not only to showcase Danish capabilities and hospitality, but for Denmark to bring leadership to the global stage and climate change negotiations. The Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) delivered the COP15 event in a manner which would facilitate a positive political outcome by observing the most environmentally and socially responsible event organisation practices possible. Achievements We are proud of the hard work and creative ideas of our team and, indeed, the entire Danish community. From a perspective of sustainable business practices, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tried to follow the highest standard to date for a large political summit. The highlighted achievements are: Climate Neutral Conference: Achieved by measuring and offsetting 72,000 tons of delegate travel and local carbon emissions via a Danish Government CDM Project in Bangladesh. Supplier Eco-Certification: Influenced area hotels to meet environmental certification standards such that Copenhagen can now boast more than 53% of all hotels as certified, the highest such percentage of any capital city in the world. In addition, the Bella Center became the first Scandinavian conference centre to earn third party certification through the Green Key certification scheme. Value Chain Management: Revolutionised the concept of collaboration by requiring all COP15 sponsors and suppliers to contractually commit to upholding the United Nations Global Compact ten principles concerning human rights, labour rights, the environment and anticorruption. With greater engagement and commitment to sustainable development principles, the MFA promoted the value of private-public partnerships and fostered a collaborative mutually beneficial approach to organising the event. COP15 was not the greenest conference ever it was created to be as sustainable as possible under the given conditions of a large international political summit. Local Transportation: By providing free public transportation and using good communication, 93% of delegates attended the conference using metro, bus and train. BS8901 Sustainable Event Management Standard: The MFA became the first United Nations (UN) and governmental organiser to seek and achieve third party certification through the BS8901 standard for sustainable event management. Lessons Jan Christoph Napierski, Head of Section, COP15, Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs In spite of every effort to ensure the highest standards of compliance with sustainable event processes, of course some errors and oversights occurred. For instance, we did not force all suppliers to measure their consumption of energy or their production of waste. Thus we had difficulties documenting that the stated goal of 20 per cent recycling of materials was met, especially concerning waste management at the conference venue. This underscores the need for future COP events to have a proactive focus not only on waste management but also on waste measurement. Also we were unable to use recycled content paper for the 8 million pages of copy paper consumed because of technical problems with the paper and photocopiers at the last moment. 6

7 Legacy The Royal Danish Foreign Ministry team is perhaps most grateful to have had the opportunity to leave a meaningful, positive legacy for the community which made the event possible. As a result of the COP15 event: Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol (CSMP): A flexible umbrella framework was created to help event planners to organise large complex meetings in a sustainable way. The CSMP integrates local and international sustainability initiatives, standards, systems and certifications programs. The CSMP has been created to provide the UNFCCC and the international meetings industry with guidance on how to organise future events in a sustainable way. Carbon Responsibility Project, Bangladesh: The Brick Kilns offsetting project will establish 20 new energy-efficient brick production units in and around Dhaka and will reduce coal usage by almost 50%. Altogether the project will save the atmosphere from 100,000 tonnes of CO 2 annually, improving community air quality and creating year-round jobs for an at-risk population. Capacity and Knowledge: As a result of COP15 Copenhagen now has what may be the largest community group of informed and engaged sustainable event planners and suppliers. Linking local business organisations and sustainable municipal initiatives MFA created a dialogue which will benefit the community and businesses for years to come. The destination now has the capacity to organise huge meetings with an adequate and affordable supply of sustainable food, services and products. Simply put it has become the Capital of Sustainable Meetings. This report highlights the strategies, efforts and results of a team of professionals who dedicated over two years to making COP15 a pioneering conference in terms of its sustainability approach. We wish to thank our partners and staff for their commitment. Svend Olling Head of Department Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs 7

8 Sustainability Highlights Categories Indicator Value ECONOMIC Direct investment in event: Estimated direct logistical cost for Ministry of Foreign Affairs: 58,400,000 Direct income: Sponsorship received as in-kind contributions: 15,300,000 Sustainability commitment: Estimated direct investment in event sustainability: 932,000 Percentage of total budget: 2% Estimated savings achieved through sustainability program: 562,000 Indirect investment/return of event: Estimated indirect income for destination: 220,000,000 SOCIAL Estimated total indirect costs (logistics, infrastructure, services, security from city and government): 200,000,000 Participation: Number of delegates: 33,536 Event legacy in local economy: Number of technical staff hired directly for event: 8,000 Stakeholder engagement: Suppliers and sponsors signing sustainability clauses in contract: 100% Number hotel beds with independant sustainability certification: 7,264 Percentage of total in greater Copenhagen area: 53% Health and quality of air: Space designated smoke free in venue m 2 : 76,673 Percentage of total: 99.87% Social community investment: Donations to charitable causes: 537,000 Notes Financial indicators are estimated values. Final audited values not available at time of printing. Indirect costs are public figures and not under the responsibility or control of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 8

9 Categories Indicator Value ENVIRONMENTAL GHG emissions: Total carbon footprint (tons C0 2 e): 72,374 Flight emissions (tons C0 2 e): 66,374 Local emissions (tons C0 2 e): 6,000 Local emission reductions achieved through sustainability initiatives 22% Emissions per participant (delegates and staff) (tons C0 2 e): 2.16 Emissions offset (tons C0 2 e): 72,374 Percentage of total: 100% Energy: Total energy consumed (kwh): 954,204 Energy produced by onsite wind turbine (kwh) Energy produced by conversion of food to bio-fuel (kwh) Transport: Delegates using public transport: 31,188 Percentage of total: 93% Paper usage: Sheets (tons) of FSC certified paper used for printing: 8 million (40,000) Percentage 50% or more from recycled paper 0% Waste management: Total waste produced (tons): 103,720 Total waste per participant (tons): 3.09 Waste diverted from landfill and incinerated during event: 100% Amount of materials reused or recycled during event: 0 Amount of materials reused or recycled during set up and breakdown of event: Average divertion rate of destination: 56% Not measured Plastic water bottles avoided (saved) by using filtered water stations: 100,000 Food waste (tons): 23 Food waste turned into biofuel: 100% Water: Total amount of water used at venue (litres): 3,083,000 Water usage at venue per person (litres): 92 Percentage of cleaning supplies used at venue that are non-polluting: 100% Food: Number meals served (tons): 192,000 (300) Percentage food and beverage organic and local (within 100miles): 75% organic 40% local 9

10 We must move the world from an era of talk to an era of change. Connie Hedegaard, Danish Minister for Climate and Energy, President of COP15

11 INTRODUCTION

12 INTRODUCTION Report Purpose This report explains the sustainability strategy and management system implemented by the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) to engage and collaborate with the partners, suppliers and sponsors in the logistical organisation of the United Nations Climate Conference (COP15). It details the performance, achievements, best practices and lessons learned by key stakeholders in their pursuit to organise a more sustainable conference. COP15 was organised around the three pillars of sustainable development as defined by the BS8901 Sustainability Management System for Events 1 : Economy, Society and the Environment. This sustainability report, the first of its kind for a large UN conference, reflects the same triple bottom line approach to reporting the impacts of the climate conference. The report has been written to share learning and best practices from the organisation of the event so that other event organisers can learn from the COP15 sustainability journey. It aspires to help stimulate further discussion dedicated to advancing meeting and event organisation toward a more sustainable future. The content and structure of this document follows the current G3 guidelines provided by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) the global standard for sustainability reporting ( It thereby aspires to follow internationally recognised standards for governance, transparency and reporting. This report has been created and should be read in conjunction with its sister document the Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol 2. Report Scope and Boundary This report draws sustainability reporting boundaries around those issues and activities where the MFA team had direct decision making authority. Furthermore, it highlights the performance areas that could be measured and controlled. In addition, the report details the areas where the ministry has used its influence to further the development of Denmark and Copenhagen s strategic climate goals. Areas where MFA has direct control and responsibility, and reports on their sustainability approach and performance: Procurement, sponsors and providers. Direct transportation. Health and safety of delegates and workforce. Operations within the Bella Center venue. Communications and engagement. Offices. Areas where MFA has influence and is referenced in this document: Destination marketing. Hotel operations. Regional and city transportation. Delegate and participant behaviour. Areas where MFA has no influence and is not discussed in any way in this document: Accreditation process (UNFCCC Secretariat responsibility). Content and programming of the sessions (UNFCCC Secretariat responsibility). Political outcome of the meeting. Participants outside of the congress centre. 12

13 Over Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) registered their interest to attend the conference. In the photo some of the 6000+NGO representatives follow one of the government sessions on television. Conference Overview For two weeks from the 7-19 December 2009, 33,526 people from NGOs, media, business and government gathered in Copenhagen to discuss climate change. This historic meeting included government participation from 192 countries, including 126 heads of state, making it the largest political meeting ever celebrated outside of New York and the largest concentration of government leaders at any one time. In addition 6,000 media representatives covered the conference in Copenhagen, making it the largest media event ever held in Denmark. Large events of this type have both a positive and negative effect on the local community in terms of the environment, society and the economy. From the start, the Danish host country government made it a priority that this Conference of the Parties 3 (COP) should leave a long-term legacy far beyond the event. This report analyizes in detail the three elements of sustainable development related to the planning of the COP15 event economy, environment and society. COP participation is restricted to duly nominated representatives of parties, observer states, accredited observer organisations and accredited press or media. Over 46,000 individuals registered their interest to attend the conference. In the photo above, some of the more than 6,000 NGO representatives in attendance at COP15 follow one of the government sessions on television. Background of the COP Process The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 4 (UNFCCC) was opened for signature at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro (known by its popular title, the Earth Summit). On 12 June 1992, 154 nations signed the UNFCCC treaty, that upon ratification committed signatory governments to a voluntary, non-binding, aim to reduce atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHG) with the goal of preventing dangerous anthropogenic interference with Earth's climate system. Since the UNFCCC was created, the COP 5 has been meeting annually to assess progress in working with climate change. Beginning in the mid-90s, the Kyoto Protocol was negotiated to establish legally binding obligations for countries to reduce their GHG emissions. Hosting of the Conference The UNFCCC secretariat, headed by Yvo de Boer, supports the climate negotiations process, in addition to having overall responsibility for COP organisation and for finding and selecting a host for the conference. Expressions of interest to host a climate change conference come from the government of a prospective host country and is decided by COP members. At COP13, Bali, the government of Denmark expressed interest to host COP15. In 2007, following extensive technical missions and political discussions, the UNFCCC and the Danish Government signed a Host Country Agreement. This made the Danish Government responsible for the financial investment and logistical organisation of the conference. The UNFCCC Secretariat was responsible for the content, program and accreditation aspects of the event. 13

14 COP15 in Numbers 33,526 participants. 90,000 hotel room nights. 76,673m 2 of conference space. 11,000-15,000 guests processed by 23 scanners daily. 2,000 Security officers from local police, United Nations and country delegation security staff. 2,500 official meetings. 300 tons of food were consumed, including 107,889 meals, 20,057 sandwiches, 14,779 cakes and cookies, and 10,000 organic chickens. 350,000 glasses of Danish tap water were consumed, and 250,000 cups of Fairtrade coffee. 192,000 meals were served (75% organic) by 100 chefs and 450 catering staff. 14,935 chairs, 3,727 tables and 111 sofas had to be ordered. 5,500 computer workstations and internet connection for up to 8,000 laptops. 7 football pitches of carpet. 14 PORT EVENT SUSTAINABILITY RE-

15 SUSTAINABILITY APPROACH

16 SUSTAINABILITY APPROACH Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol For this report, the Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Protocol (CSMP) is used to structure and explain the approach taken by the Danish Government in organising the COP15 conference. The CSMP is a flexible event management framework that can be used to organise large, complex meetings in a sustainable way. The CSMP is not a new standard for sustainable event management. Instead, it provides a framework or roadmap on how to integrate a systematic, strategic approach to sustainable event management using internationally recognised standards, certification programmes and best practice examples. It was created by a coalition of seven innovative organisations that have collaborated to create a methodology to capture and share their knowledge and experience in preparing Copenhagen for COP15. The project partners are: The CSMP identifies five success factors that became the building blocks and differentiators of the approach to coordinate a more sustainable conference. These were: Visionary leadership. Strategic planning. Stakeholder engagement and communication. Operational integration. Good governance and assurance. CSMP FRAMEWORK STRATEGY Ministry of Foreign Affairs. VisitDenmark. Wonderful Copenhagen Convention & Visitors Bureau. City of Copenhagen. MCI Group. Novo Nordisk A/S. Bella Center A/S. GOVERNANCE LEADERSHIP OPERATIONAL INTEGRATION STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT For more detailed information please consult the CSMP whitepaper which can be found at 16

17 Project Organisation The Danish Government entrusted the logistical organisation of COP15 to the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Svend Olling was appointed Head of Department COP15 Logistics, and had the task of recruiting and managing a team of 21 professionals to whom was delegated the responsibility for the logistical tasks of organizing the conference. Svend built and developed the team with the following points in mind: Hire few but highly effective and experienced individuals. Trust and empower them to take decisions. Build a team culture based on individual responsibility. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs assigned a full-time head of section for logistics greening. The selected section head, Jan Christoph Napierski, was fully empowered to pursue initiatives to improve the COP15 sustainable event agenda. Leadership The leadership approach to COP15 is summarised in the following diagram with four key areas: VISION Have a clear understanding of what success looks like PRINCIPLES Align with brand values and shared principles LEADERSHIP PURPOSE Define sustainability philosophy to guide for the process COMMITMENT Ensure long term management support COP15 Logistics Organisation Conference Venue Team Outreach Team Administration Transportation and Security Team Head of Logistics Svend Olling Legal and Financial Team Accommodation Team Sustainability and Catering Team IT Team Commitment From the beginning, the Danish Government decided that it wanted to organise a more sustainable climate conference. The MFA dedicated financial resources and management support to ensure that the logistics team delivered on this vision. The Danish Government and Copenhagen City Council committed over 200 million to prepare the city for COP15. This was used for logistics, citizen engagement, the Climate+ initiative, development of climate change plan, organising the climate summit and security, as well as the purchase of electric vehicles and the retro-fitting of existing infrastructure to accommodate them. The MFA leveraged this commitment to amplify community engagement. The result of the combined effort was a watershed event for sustainable events in Denmark. 17

18 Vision The MFA was guided by the vision expressed by Svend Olling which justified the focus on creating a sustainable event: It is in the best interest of our organisation and society as a whole that we move along the path towards a more sustainable future especially concerning the environment and climate in the way we organise COP15. To that end, we are committed to being amongst the leaders in improving the sustainability of larger conferences. Purpose The purpose of the COP15 sustainability initiative was to assure that the environmentally friendly and climate friendly considerations were integrated into the organisation of COP15 to the highest degree possible. Participating organisations embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of ten core values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption. Human Rights Principle 1: Principle 2: Labour Rights Principle 3: Principle 4: Principle 5: Principle 6: Businesses should support and respect human rights. Businesses are not complicit in human rights abuses. Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining. The elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour. The effective abolition of child labour. The elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation. Principles COP15 logistics adopted the sustainability principles outlined in UN Global Compact 6. Furthermore, it adopted the Danish Government s plan to foster the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of private companies document of 14 May 2008 and the principles on sustainability outlined in the government CSR programme of UN Global Compact Principles The UN Global Compact, established in July 2000, seeks to promote responsible corporate citizenship by providing a framework for businesses to follow in response to the challenges of globalization. It is both a policy platform and a practical framework for organisations that are committed to sustainability and responsible business practices. Today the Global Compact stands as the largest corporate citizenship and sustainability initiative in the world with over 7700 participants and stakeholders from over 130 countries. Environment Principle 7: Principle 8: Principle 9: Corruption Principle 10: Businesses should support a precautionary approach to environmental challenges. Undertake initiatives to promote greater environmental responsibility. Encourage the development and diffusion of environmentally friendly technologies. Businesses should work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery. 18

19 Strategy From the very beginning, sustainable event strategy was a key ingredient in the organisation of the conference. Sustainability was not a separate initiative, but was integrated into the management processes and strategy. To provide structure and rigour to the process the MFA chose to adopt and use the British Standard BS8901:2009 Specification for Sustainable Event Management. 8 ISSUES SCOPE OBJECTIVES PRIORITIES POLICY Issues During the planning of COP15 the following key sustainability issues were identified. Each one was reviewed for its level of risk and as an opportunity to improve participant experience, environmental and economic impacts. Area Issues Economic Demonstrate fair and responsible spend of government money to stakeholders. Use COP15 investment wisely for long-term benefit of destination and businesses. Large footprint of meeting and potential reputation risks. Environmental Environmental performance of Bella Center Identify and analyze key issues and risks - Social - Technology - Environmental - Political Define what areas are to be included in sustainability initiative Create clear measurable targets and Key Performance Indicators. Use GRI and APEX for guidance Determine where you will focus your energy and ressources to get the best ROI Integrate vision, principles and objectives into event policy and plans. Communicate (for example, energy efficiency, waste management and certification). Supply and cost of providing local, organic food and beverage. Ensuring a high level of sustainability knowledge and performance of key suppliers (for example, hotels, venue, Professional Congress Organiser, restaurants) and sponsors. Impact of transporting the thousands of delegates on the environment and local communities (for example, congestion, disruption, emissions and pollution). Social Health and wellbeing of participants and staff. Pleasing and respecting a very multicultural and diverse group of stakeholders. Impact of the conference on the local community. Managing authorised and unauthorised protest inside and outside of the venue. 19

20 Scope The Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) had control and responsibility for the logistical organisation of the conference. Hence the sustainability management system, as defined in BS8901, encompassed the following activities: Logistics department: Administration and leadership. Supplier management. Stakeholder engagement. Transport. Purchasing and sponsorships. Accommodation logistics. The following activities were outside the scope of the sustainability management system: IT. COP15 event communication. Content and proceedings of the conference. (This was the responsibility of the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UNFCCC.) Accreditation (also the responsibility of the UNFCCC). Procurement. Accommodation. Transport. Compensation. Networking. High-Level Objectives 35 specific objectives were defined in 11 areas. Each had their corresponding key performance indicators (please see page 36 for detail). From these four high level objectives were identified: Improve sustainable event performance through use of the BS8901 Sustainability Mangement Systems and achieve BS8901 certification. Engage stakeholders to improve event performance and create a legacy. Communicate effectively to increase awareness of the event sustainability initiative and to minimise reputational risk. Engage the Bella Center to become a reference sustainable venue for COP15 and for future events. Priorities As an outcome of COP15 strategy development workshops, MFA defined the following high-level priorities for the conference: Security: Safeguard delegates and staff. Outcome: Decisions for event planning must facilitate positive outcome of delegate negotiations. Innovation: Create a technological showcase for Danish clean energy initiatives. Sustainability: Minimise the environmental impacts of the event. From the issues analysis, MFA identified seven key logistical issues to be given greater priority and attention. These areas were identified to be areas of higher risk and/or presented opportunities to improve event sustainable performance and improve potential for leaving positive legacy change in the destination: Venue. Communication. 20

21 Policy The MFA developed a sustainability policy to help communicate the principles and commitment of the Danish Government in organising a more responsible event. This policy was communicated to suppliers and sponsors. Accountability: Responsible Management of Financial Resources Legacy: We are devolving responsibility respect and responsibility at all organisational levels to create maximum benefits and optimum return on the investment made by the Danish people in the COP15 event. Return on Investment: We are working to generate ongoing reward and sustained economic benefits for the economy and population in Denmark. Responsibility for Climate and the World's Finite Natural Resources and Environment Waste: We seek to limit the consumption of goods. Waste must be identified, separated and recycled. Hazardous waste is treated in accordance with safe handling and stringent local laws governing its handling. Any residual waste should be diverted to Copenhagen s waste-to-energy facility for the purpose of generating heat and electricity and avoiding utilising landfills. Energy: We seek to limit consumption of electricity, petrol, diesel and heating. All of the event s CO 2 emissions, including delegate travel, will be measured and balanced through a Clean Development Mechanism Project. Water: We recognise water as a critical resource and seek to minimise waste while promoting quality. Suppliers: We will engage vendors and sponsors to ensure that all parties intend to optimise the fair practices and sustainable content of products and services purchased in support of the COP15 event. Social Responsibility: Capitalise People Delegates: For all delegates, we will show respect, offer courtesy and shall provide professional service. Capitalise Policy: Our work is organised in an ethical manner and in accordance with all laws and regulations. Suppliers: We will engage all vendors and sponsors to ensure that all parties deliver increased performance of social responsibility. Responsibility for, and Between, Employees: We show responsibility to and support for each other. Communications Engagement: We seek to work closely with authorities, companies, associations and interest groups to ensure the good exchange of knowledge, mutual inspiration and cooperation in order to create lasting benefits for the environment. We shall actively communicate with the general public and the delegates to include them in the environmentally sound organisation of COP15. Innovation: We seek to support new technologies and innovation, which protect the environment and climate. 21

22 We have tried to make a new and different conference in Copenhagen. We have no bottled water, only pure, clean drinking water from the tap. Two thirds of all food here at the conference is organic. We have tried as hard as possible to limit the carbon footprint of the conference. COP15 opening address by HE Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Prime Minister of Denmark

23 Stakeholder Engagement The MFA quickly realised that to create a greener COP15, they would need to engage and gain the support of local government, business and community. The MFA strategically evaluated its spheres of influence to identify key stakeholders. SPHERES OF INFLUENCE Downstream Value Chain Upstream *The entities listed here are examples. Municipality Services Other Suppliers Venue Event Agency Employees Event Organiser Client Sponsors Participants Local Government weak strong Control strong weak If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. We need to go very far, very fast. African Proverb The following chart highlights the identified key stakeholder groups, and provides some examples of key stakeholders. Key s Staff: Sponsors: Suppliers: Government and public sector: Participants: Civil society: Examples Royal Danish Ministry Foreign Affairs. UNFCCC. DHL, Cisco, Velux, SAS, Novo Nordisk, Mercedes, Deloitte. Bella Center, MCI and hotels. Royal Danish Ministry of Environment. United Nations agencies. City of Copenhagen. VisitDenmark. Wonderful Copenhagen Convention & Visitors Bureau. Public transportation. NGOS. Corporates. INGOS. Local community. Local and international NGOs. Local universities. Accelerating Change Through Collaboration Stakeholder sustainability taskforces were created with the intention of elevating community awareness and improving the chance of achieving sustainability objectives for the COP15 event. These taskforces were: Green Hosting of COP 15 Task Force : This taskforce was initiated by VisitDenmark and consisted of representatives from Horesta (the hotel and restaurant association), VisitDenmark (the national tourism organisation of Denmark), Wonderful Copenhagen Convention & Visitors Bureau (the City 23

24 Convention Bureau), the City of Copenhagen, Bella Center (venue), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and MCI (Housing Bureau). The team met approximately every six weeks for the year leading up to COP15 to discuss logistical and sustainability issues. Green Event Planners Taskforce: The MFA brought together a team of 12 event organisers who were all running their own large events leading up to COP15. In this team were event organisers representing the World Business Summit on Climate Change, the Nordic Climate Solutions, the International Scientific Conference on Climate Change, the Climate Summit for Mayors, the Out Games and the IOC Olympic Games organising committee conference. This group met monthly to share aspirations, goals, challenges and solutions. The MFA was able to raise awareness and educate members on sustainability practices. The group became advocates of certification and the Green Event Planners Taskforce put particular peer pressure on the Bella Center and hotels to achieve eco-certification. Operational Integration Jan-Christoph Napierski, Head of Section for event greening, assured integration of sustainability principles and actions into the day-to-day operations of COP15. Napierski dedicated considerable time to researching best practice methods and sustainability systems. He participated in numerous industry events in order to network with leading experts. BS8901 provided structure and guidance, which was supplemented with other tools and standards such as the APEX Green Meeting Guidelines 9 and the UN Greening Meeting Guide 10. These all provided useful education, checklists and guidance, which Jan-Christoph and the MFA used in their day-to-day interaction with the suppliers, partners and sponsors. MCI Sustainability Services were hired to serve as objective counsel and sounding board for the MFA. They trained the team in BS8901, advanced sustainable event management techniques, and performed an internal audit function to highlight weaknesses and areas of improvement in the management system. Governance As a rule, Danish society and business places considerable attention to good organisational governance. Consensus-based management is standard practice. For COP15 good project governance was assured by a combination of mana gement controls, measurement, repor - ting, external verifica tion and certification. Transparency and accountability were two key values, which guided the organisation of the project. Internal Management Controls GOVERNANCE Management Controls Measurement External Verification & Certification Reporting As a public entity, the Royal Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs is required by law to maintain full transparency and accountability for taxpayer resources. Fiduciary oversight and reporting were assumed by a team of accountants and lawyers assigned to the MFA. Local and international laws were researched and compliance was documented to minimise the liability to the taxpayer. The MFA dedicated an average of 60-hours monthly to team planning meetings, which discussed conference organisation, sustainability priorities and tactics. These meetings were attended by responsible parties from the key teams as show in the organisation chart. Discussions were recorded through meeting minutes and actions were tracked and reviewed for level of completion or needed alteration. MFA were afforded the opportunity to review the event management system and effectively communicate needed change. 24

25 External Verification and Certification The MFA viewed standards and certifications as critical success factors in engaging suppliers and raising the environmental performance of the event. The MFA focused on three levels of certification: Level 1: External certification of the event management system with BS8901. Level 2: Certification of key suppliers, for example the venue and hotels. Level 3: Certification of key supplies, for example paper, coffee, tea and food. sustainability management system for events. Once training was complete, Dansk Certification assigned two auditors to conduct a pre-event review of the COP15 event management system. The MFA then proceeded to make necessary adjustments to the management system prior to the certification process, which took place for two days during the COP15 event, with a follow up day in January to review performance against objectives. The international consultancy firm, Deloitte, responded to the MFA request for proposal to deliver a comprehensive assessment of event-related carbon emissions. An integral component of the sustainable event management process, the carbon footprint assessment was a sustainability goal identified by MFA as part of the BS8901 process. Deloitte also conducted a questionnaire on delegate satisfaction. In 2009 the MFA selected BS8901 as the event management system, and MCI Sustainability Services were hired to provide guidance and training in the standard. In total, COP15 conducted four internal audits of the event management system against BS8901 criteria before receiving external verification. Internal audits were conducted with the assistance of MCI and Sustainable Event Certification. As part of this process, a training meeting was held in August 2009 with all MFA department heads to learn about the BS8901 standard. This was followed by the first BS8901 gap analysis session where each MFA department leader responded to specific questions related to BS8901 requirements. At the same time, the MeetGreen SM calculator was used to benchmark and compare performance of the COP15 event against other events. Please see page 35 for more information on the MeetGreen calculator and bechmarked performance. With this baseline gap analysis and benchmarking in hand, COP15 planners responded with the needed adjustments and documentation to improve the accountability and responsiveness to the event management system. The effective management process of plan-do-check-act continued through the four internal audits until the event. In anticipation of the MFA s need for third party conformity assessment of the event management system, MCI engaged the Danish Standards and Certification body, Dansk Standard and DS Certificering. DS Certificering invested in translating the BS8901 standard into the Danish language and in training five auditors in the BS8901 Triple Bottom Line Reporting As part of the strategy development, a series of social, economic and environmental objectives and targets were defined and tracked throughout the development of the event. These measures were tracked and reviewed in each of the BS8901 internal audits and in the external audits. The development and creation of this report was outsourced to MCI Sustainability Services, who worked in close connection with the seven members of the Copenhagen Sustainable Meetings Coalition Protocol to collect, edit and verify all data, information and conclusions in this report. The G3 Global Reporting Initiative guidelines 11 were used as a reference in creating this document, to provide guidance on reporting approach, structure, materiality and performance indicators. MCI are involved in the working group of the development of GRI sector supplement for the event sector 12 and included this latest best practice thinking in the reporting approach. It should be noted that in hindsight, reporting of social indicators could and should have been better. Future COP reports would benefit from greater reporting on the GRI human rights, labour practices, society and product responsibility indicators. 25

26 We live in times of great consequence and, therefore, of great opportunity. With issues of such magnitude, it is easy to focus solely on the challenges; the worst-case scenarios; the what-ifs of failure. But take a moment to consider the opportunities if we succeed. Imagine a healthier, safer, and more sustainable, economically robust world. HRH the Prince of Wales speaking to World Leaders at COP15 UN Photo/Mark Garten

27 SUSTAINABILITY ACTIONS AND INNOVATIONS

28 SUSTAINABILITY ACTIONS AND INNOVATIONS To explain the sustainability action and innovations featured in the organisation of COP15 by the host nation, the report references the APEX Green Standards 19 categories. APEX is an international standard for the organisation of green meetings. It has been created under the leadership of the Convention Industry Council (CIC) with the assistance of the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) 20 and ASTM International 21 (one of the largest voluntary standards development organisations in the world). Destination The sustainability of the event destination makes an important difference in the environmental and social performance of the event. By hosting the conference in Denmark and Copenhagen the event had a great opportunity to set above average levels of sustainability performance for a COP. The following briefly outlines a number of aspects of the Copenhagen initiative to be an excellent destination for hosting sustainable meetings. OPERATIONAL INTEGRATION Audio Visual Transportation Accomodation On-Site Office APEX Green Standards Communications Meeting Venue Destinations Food & Beverage Exhibits 24% of Copenhagen s energy comes from renewable sources. 28

29 Denmark as a Climate Leader Decades ago, Denmark recognised the need to protect the environment and to promote and safeguard sustainable development. This means that Denmark now has a lead in tackling issues like sustainable energy generation and efficiency, district heating, waste water treatment and waste water management. Denmark has gone from being 93% dependent on sources of foreign oil to becoming completely energy self-sufficient with more than 29% of the electricity coming from renewables with 20% of this coming from wind energy. The implementation of environmental policies is being addressed by municipal authorities throughout Denmark. Environmental policies currently focus on: air pollution, the aquatic environment (nutrient discharges and groundwater contamination), biodiversity, chemical substances, environmental health and global issues such as climate change. Measures to address these issues rely on a range of diverse, well established and, in some cases, innovative policy instruments. Climate Capital Copenhagen In 2007 Copenhagen charted a transformative vision to become the world s leading eco-metropole, with a goal to reduce emissions by 20% by 2015 compared to 2005, and a stretch goal of being completely carbon neutral by Copenhagen City Actions Which Improved COP15 Sustainable Performance a) Transportation Government Policy: City traffic is responsible for 20% of the city s CO 2 annual emissions. The Copenhagen climate plan focuses on developing a transport system which encourages bicycle traffic, expands on the already excellent the Metro and supports clean energy vehicles Bike Capital: With almost 40% of Copenhagen residents commuting safely by bicycle each day, the city has set a goal to increase this to 50%, thereby allowing them to avoid 80,000 CO 2 equivalents. Public Transport: The greater Copenhagen region has a highly efficient and cost effective metro, train and bus system. At COP15 93% of the participants used public transport. Clean Energy Vehicles: As of December 2009 Copenhagen city owns 60 cars and trucks fuelled by either electricity or hydrogen cells. The city has constructed a hydrogen cell fuelling station to support these vehicles. By 2015 there will be 600 municipal vehicles (85% of total) running on clean energy and reducing the city s fuel spend by half of 2009 levels. Based on a four-prong action approach, the city committed to bold and measureable goals to create a sustainable community. The vision s four pillars are: World s best city for cycles. Climate capital. A green and blue capital city. A clean and healthy big city. The Copenhagen Climate plan 22 can be found at: 29

30 b) Energy In Copenhagen 96% of residents are connected to district heating. The district heating system of the greater Copenhagen area utilises waste heat from refuse incineration and from the joint production of electricity and heat. Sulphur dioxide emissions have been reduced to less than a third of previous levels, and Carbon dioxide emissions have been halved. The production of one megawatt of heat for Bella Center emits about 113kg of CO 2, which is two times less CO 2 than one megawatt from oil-fired heating. In Copenhagen 24% of energy comes from renewable energy. Current plans aim to increase the mix of renewable energy and lower emissions by using biomass in power stations, erecting additional wind turbines, increasing reliance on geothermal power and renovating the district heating network. The Climate+ restaurants put a special focus on the connection between food and climate impact by serving high quality, climate-friendly food. There are six areas identified that make food more climate-friendly: Buy your ingredients locally and in season. Use less meat and especially less beef. Use more fish and poultry. Use more vegetables and fruit. Use organically produced food wherever possible. Use as little processed food as possible (frozen and tinned food). Minimise the waste of food. The Climate+ 23 program was accelerated for COP15. For more information c) Food The city s Climate+ program inspired over 100 local restaurants, including the Bella Center, to create climate menus during COP15. Copenhagen s Climate+ restaurant program is an example of a city-led active and structured support for businesses. Managed by the Copenhagen Green Business Network, a part of the Environment Department in the City of Copenhagen, it is designed to help businesses reduce their environmental impact. Copenhagen City hall square turned into the virtual city HopenhagenLive, where a giant globe communicated the messages from citizens around the world supporting a climate deal. photo: Alison Clarke d) Participant Outreach and Engagement Hopenhagen is a PR campaign created by the International Advertising Association in partnership with the City of Copenhagen. Their mission was: To connect every person, every city and every nation to Copenhagen. To give everyone hope, and a platform from which to act. To create a grassroots movement that s powerful enough to influence change. 30