Monday 4 November, 2024 :: 

Green Forum

Every event is a unique opportunity to raise awareness of low carbon consumption practices by setting up a practical example. For this, conserving energy, reducing waste, purchasing local products and simply consuming less can set a good example and yet at the same time save money. Greening an event can also promote innovative technologies and techniques which will help to use resources more efficiently. Also, such green initiative can help us take a step closer towards sustainability that will leave a positive and lasting legacy for the host community, the local community and the participants.

The Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum 2010 will make every effort to be a sustainable event with greening initiatives. The Adaptation Forum 2010 will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by efficient use of electricity, paper and stationary.

The Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum 2010 will be organized and implemented in a way that minimizes negative environmental impacts, promotes environmental innovation, is cost saving and raises awareness.

Here are some initial greening initiatives that the Adaptation Forum 2010 is practicing:

  • Print materials are being printed on recycle paper with vegetable ink.

  • Only online registrations will be accepted. So, no paper copies.

  • Upon request, invitation letter will be seen out via email only. Again, no papers.

  • All the pre and post forum correspondence will be made through emails only.

  • The venue of the forum, Queen Imperial Park Hotel is centrally located, such that it is accessible by all means of public transportation, such as Bangkok Mass Transit System (BTS) & Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), thus, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Please view the map of the venue for details here.

  • The use of natural lights at the venue, as much as possible.

During the Adaptation Forum 2010:

  • Will ensure reducing materials consumption and waste generation by,

    • Minimize distribution and use of stationeries and supplies. As paperless as possible.

    • Avoid the use of disposable items, use pre-used/recycled and reusable/recyclable products.

    • Reduce packaging needs to a minimum.

    • Souvenirs, forum bags, banners etc will be made from sustainable materials like organic or recycled materials.

    • Try to separate and recycle where possible.

  • Will ensure reducing printing materials by,

    • Make all Adaptation Forum 2010 documents available on the Forum website.

    • Reminding participants to avoid making or distributing unneeded paper copies by making use of electronic copies and electronic distribution when possible.

    • Have designated, centrally located notice boards.

    • Have designated e-boards.

  • Reduce water use by,

    • Implement water conservation practices and use water efficient appliances during the forum and in the market place.

    • Minimize the distribution of bottled water to participants where possible in the forum.

    • Use bulk dispensers and have water stations for drinking water.

  • Catering
  • ,
    • Local and seasonal food.

    • Organic, vegetarian (as much as possible), healthy food and fair trade ones.

    • Ensure that the caterer knows the exact number of participants in time to avoid food waste.

The participants can support the Adaptation Forum's green initiative by,

  • Taking the public transportation like bus, MRT or BTS as much as possible. Avoid taxis.

  • Try limiting your luggage.

  • Avoid the use of disposable items like bottled water, plastic bags, etc.

  • For those who are participating in the market place, please try to minimize your promotional material, flags and banners. Try to make it as paperless as possible and promote electronic devices instead.

  • Do what you can to help us in helping to cultivate sustainable practice behavior and create awareness.

Green Corner:

There will be a designated corner in the market place called the Green Corner which will provide information and resources on sustainability and greening concepts, and how each and everyone can help and contribute to this planet equitable, and ecologically and economically sustainable. This can be achieved by making the participants as well as the exhibitors aware about greening and behavioral change in simple things we do.

Facts you should know:

  • Every year over 80 million people around the world attend a meeting or conference and even more attend trade shows or exhibitions.


  • The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), in Johannesburg in 2002, generated 322.59 tons of waste and 136000 tons of carbon emission, equally to approx. half of the waste collected each month from the Johannesburg Inner City and half of South Africa’s daily fossil fuel related carbon emissions. The event used approximately 25 tons of paper, 11800 kl of water and 2485MWh of electricity (enough to serve 672 South Africans for one year) over a ten day period.


  • The 73,000 people attending the 2004 championship football match between Manchester United and Millwall, in the UK – their travel, food, and beverage consumption, their waste products, and a proportion of the stadium’s infrastructure – yielded an ecological footprint of 3000 hectares. Travel made the largest contribution: 43 million kilometers, an average of 591 kilometers per person, nearly half of which was by private car. Greater use of public transit will substantially reduce these negative environmental impacts.


  • The more luxurious a hotel is, the higher the consumption of water. On average, hotel consumption of water per guest is 220 litres; this goes up to 520 litres in 4 and 5 stars hotels – the main consumption of water is due to wellness centres, swimming pools and laundry services.


  • The 2002 Forest Leadership Forum in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, had over 1300 participants for 45 countries. Through green measures, organizers avoided the use of more than 80,000 disposable plates, cups, napkins and utensils.


  • Raising food animals requires more energy, water and other inputs than growing grains or vegetables. Therefore it is important to try to provide vegetarian menus.


  • The German Renewables 2004 Conference successfully became one of the world’s first “climate-neutral” conferences by offsetting carbon emissions through the financing of 12 solar powered community kitchens in developing countries to provide meals for 30,000 people, and replacing the typical use of charcoal to cook food in these communities.


  • For the UNECE 2007 Environment for Europe Conference, organized in Belgrade in 2007, the estimated emissions amounted to 3,000 tons of CO2 equivalents, including those caused by air travel, local transport, energy consumed and waste generated. The offsets were paid for by the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union and were used to finance renewable energy projects, identified by UNECE together with the Carbon Neutral Company.


  • In November 2008 the “International Ozone Gathering” took place in Doha/Nairobi, being the first paperless large-scale UNEP meeting ever. Delegates were issued with laptops and given lessons on how to minimize paper. A special software was utilized which allowed delegates to share and amend papers during the six day meeting. The initiative is expected to save greenhouse gas emissions linked with the shipment of conference documents and publications to and from meetings.


[Source: Green Meeting Guide 2009: Roll out the Green Carpet for your Participants. Sustainable United Nations - UNEP, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, International Annual Meeting on Language Arrangements.]