Venue commits to reducing greenhouse gas emissions 30% by 2035
Edmonton, AB – On November 5, the Edmonton Convention Centre released its Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan—committing to implementing operational and behavioural changes that will reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 15% by 2025 and 30% by 2035 (from 2018 levels). The Edmonton Convention Centre’s plan aims to support the City of Edmonton’s GHG reduction plan of reducing emissions by 35% by 2035.
Since January 2019, the Edmonton Convention Centre has participated in the City of Edmonton’s Corporate Climate Leaders Program, a program that helps corporations take action on climate change through GHG management across their operations. In collaboration with Climate Smart, an organization that provides training and support for businesses looking to reduce GHG emissions, the Centre began tracking its emissions data and making meaningful plans to achieve its reduction targets. The release of Edmonton Convention Centre’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan is the final step toward the Centre obtaining its Climate Smart certification.
“The message from the City of Edmonton is clear—we need to act faster and on a larger scale to mitigate climate change. As stewards of a public facility, we have a responsibility to contribute to the City of Edmonton’s GHG reduction targets and have substantial potential to help the city reach these goals,” said Arlindo Gomes, Vice President, Venue Management, Edmonton Economic Development. “By recognizing the importance of managing the carbon footprint created by our operations, we are positioning ourselves among the early adopters of long-term sustainable business planning in our industry.”
The Edmonton Convention Centre Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan outlines the venue’s emissions calculations, reduction targets and measures the Centre will take to meet these reduction targets. In order to reach its reduction targets, the venue is committed to making behavioural and structural changes in the areas of energy generation, heat usage, transportation, waste management and communications. Implementation of the venue’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan will begin in January 2020.
News of the venue’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction plan follows the launch of the Edmonton Convention Centre Responsible Meetings Program. From October 28-30, the Edmonton Convention Centre hosted SPARK 2019, the first carbon-neutral convention to be hosted in the City of Edmonton. Please view the 2018 Sustainability Report Card for more information on the Edmonton Convention Centre’s sustainability initiatives.
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ABOUT THE EDMONTON CONVENTION CENTRE
Recognized by the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) as one of North America’s top five performing venues, the Edmonton Convention Centre brings people together to learn, innovate, trade and celebrate in the heart of downtown Edmonton. Owned by the City of Edmonton and managed by Edmonton Economic Development, the venue hosts nearly 650 events and 500,0000 guests per year, generating more than $30 million in economic impact.
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