Business Daily (Nairobi)
Wangui Maina
21 October 2007
The first carbon neutral conference in East Africa is set to open in Nairobi today as the Eco-tourism Society of Kenya (ESOK) seeks to raise awareness on global warming that has previously generated more talk than action.
The society calculated the carbon footprint of the conference and paid off what is expected to be emitted during the three day conference to a carbon offsetting company, CO2 balance Kenya.
The offset company has already effected carbon zero operations at Capital FM radio station, Naivasha Horticultural Fair and Azalea Restaurant, near Yaya centre in Nairobi.
The company started last year uses proceeds from the offsets for energy efficiency projects in schools, solar energy solutions and biogas generation from animal waste.
"We have seen a huge change over the last six months with companies showing a keen interest reducing carbon emissions," CO2balance director, Peter Coventry, said.
Calculations were based on the distance each of the 100 delegates will travel, including seven delegates who will be coming from Tanzania, Southern Sudan and South Africa.
The amount of energy expected to be used to cool the conference room for the three days and the energy the hotel will use to cook the delegates food were also added up.
Part of the Sh750,000 realised from registration fees will be used to offset the 600 tonnes of carbon that will be emitted at a cost of Sh42,000.
"Its a carbon zero conference," ESOK executive officer Judy Kepher-Gona said. In the past two years carbon emission during travel, especially to long haul destinations, has emerged as a green issue with airlines being ranked as major polluters.
Today travellers can log onto various web sites and offset their carbon footprint to ease their conscious and conferences have also taken this up.
Climate change concerns are expected to influence travel trends affecting Kenya's tourism sector as the country emerges as one of the most popular long-haul destinations.
The conference is expected to address the issues of how Kenya is affected by pollution and how to tackle climate change and build a sustainable tourism sector.
"We are bringing the message to the industry that climate change is with us and affecting us especially because as an industry we rely on the climate," Mrs Kepher-Gona said.
Speakers are expected to address issues regarding aviation and climate change, mitigation and adaptation of the global changes and look at issue of policy and legal framework pertaining to climate change.
Researchers on issues dealing with climate change and carbon emission are also expected to present some of their findings, including one on opportunities for carbon trading in Kakamega, Lower Tana, Arabuko and Madunguni national forest reserves.
The Davos Declaration on Climate Change on Tourism, which urges the travel and leisure sector to take urgent action against climate change, is also expected to be presented.
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