Why should event planners take a closer look at the Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs for short? Because integrating the SDGs into events is an important step on the road to sustainability. Because through conscious event planning and the implementation of sustainable practices, your events can also make an important contribution to solving global problems and at the same time become a role model for sustainability. For this reason, we are presenting "SDG 13 - Climate Action - Immediate Action for Climate Protection" to you today.
SDG 13 - Immediate action on climate protection
SDG 13 calls for immediate action to combat climate change and its impacts. It includes climate change mitigation and adaptation goals. These include:
- the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
- Education and awareness
- building capacity for climate impact adaptation.
Measures for climate protection and climate adaptation are to be integrated into all strategies and planning of national policies. In particular, the countries of the Global South are to be supported in this regard.
This is what SDG 13 means for events
For events and all their stakeholders, this means that they should organize events in a climate-friendly way and cause fewer CO₂ emissions in the process.
You can achieve this, for example, by
- the use of renewable energies,
- the use of public transport
- and the reduction of disposable products.
Offsetting unavoidable emissions by investing in climate protection projects are also among the measures pursued by SDG 13.
Events that lead by example
German Zero Summit
An annual conference to promote Germany's climate neutrality by 2050, the Summit brings together representatives from politics, business, academia and civil society to discuss and share innovative ideas and actions for climate protection.
FIA Formula E Championship
The race series for all-electric race cars promotes the use of electric mobility and renewable energy - in contrast to conventional motorsport events. The event serves as a platform to demonstrate the benefits of electric vehicles and clean energy.
Initiatives in the event industry
Plant A Seeed
The first scientific sustainability project on large-scale concerts in Germany. It's about actively contributing to the solution and helping to shape the transformation. At the five sold-out Seeed concerts at Berlin's Parkbühne Wuhlheide, the focus is not only on the shows, but also on ecological and social sustainability.
Net Zero Carbon Events
The initiative aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2050 and halve them by 2030. Almost 500 companies and organizations in the international event industry have signed or support the initiative.
Eleven-point plan of the EVVC
The European Association of Event Centers wants to achieve climate neutrality. By 2030, offers for climate-neutral events are to be made available by EVVC members and partners. By 2040, all event centers organized in the EVVC are to be climate neutral.
Climate neutral trade fairs
The German trade show industry wants to become climate-neutral by 2040. By 2025 at the latest, German trade fairs are to be supplied with 100 percent green electricity. As early as 2023, the German trade show industry wants to make sustainability a requirement in tenders with its industry partners.
These immediate actions at events pay into SDG 13
Everything we do, produce and consume causes CO₂ emissions. This results in our personal footprint, the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) and the Corporate Carbon Footprint (CCF).
Consequently, many things pay off for SDG 13 that also have a positive impact on other SDGs, e.g. SDG 12 - Sustainable consumption and production.
So don't be surprised if you read some tips more than once. These are not typos, but show that you can have a positive impact on different goals at the same time.
Promote sustainable mobility
Mobility is one of the main factors for high CO₂ emissions at events. Make sure you have good public transport connections. Include public transportation tickets in your tickets and encourage your guests to carpool. Also offer the event ticket for the train. Provide bicycle parking, e-charging stations, e-shuttles, eco-taxis, etc. Communicate and demand CO₂-free travel from all stakeholders.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
You can reduce the CO₂ footprint of your events by using renewable energy, implementing energy efficiency measures, and ideally producing more renewable energy than you consume - for example, by adding solar roofing to buildings, parking lots, and open spaces.
Use environmentally friendly materials
As an organizer, you can use sustainable and recyclable materials and avoid disposable products. Since the production as well as the disposal of plastic produces a lot of CO₂ emissions, it makes sense to avoid plastic as much as possible.
Avoid and separate waste
Avoid waste and ensure careful separation. In this way, your events can also help to reduce environmental pollution. As a positive side effect, you still save costs thanks to waste avoidance.
Avoid unnecessary printing
Both the production and disposal of print materials produce CO₂ emissions. Instead, use an event app for participant information and communication or use LED screens for the information and messages, which you would otherwise have printed.
Sensitize your participants
Also encourage your participants to get involved in climate protection. You can achieve this, for example, by communicating your own commitment to sustainability and providing information about climate protection and measures.
Vegan or vegetarian catering
Vegan or vegetarian catering has a positive impact on SDG 13, as it leads to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, it can contribute to slowing down climate change.
Offset unavoidable CO₂ emissions
Organizers can offset their unavoidable emissions by supporting climate protection projects or investing in CO₂ compensation certificates. You should only tackle this if you have really implemented all avoidance and reduction measures beforehand.
offset projects in the Global South:
One of the main goals of the 2030 Agenda is to improve the living conditions of people in the Global South. Since the countries of the Global South are particularly hard hit by climate impacts, you can support offset projects there and thus create local jobs, among other things.
Sustainable events and insurance coverage
When taking measures, also think about insurance coverage. A sustainable orientation of the events now leads to considerable discounts with some event insurances. Depending on the sum insured, you can save 10,000 euros or more.
Protect the visitors
In addition, take measures to protect your visitors, employees and all stakeholders. For example, provide protection against flooding, thunderstorms or heat at festivals, e.g. through shading and water distribution.
Use apps and festival radios to stay in touch with the public so you can warn or give further instructions in case of disasters.
Conclusion
When sustainable events become the standard, their high reach and variety creates enormous potential to change the world in a positive way! Events become part of the solution - be an active part of it.
More information
Sabine Böhling, consultant, trainer and lecturer for sustainability and CSR, and Stefan Lohmann, expert for live entertainment concepts and founder of Sustainable Event Solutions, will introduce you to the 17 SDGs and apply them to events
- more about the 17 Sustainable Development Goals
- more about the 16 Steps Initiative
