How the event sector joined the UNFCCC Race to Zero at COP26
Since 2018, Positive Impact, in collaboration with UNFCCC Secretariat (the UN body responsible for climate change) have encouraged the event sector to take action and show leadership regarding their carbon emissions.
In 2021, with COP26 on the horizon, Positive Impact led on the vision that:
At COP26, it could have been announced that the event sector has developed a framework to establish quantitative carbon reduction targets and set a measurable reduction path to achieve net zero, in alignment with #racetozero.
At COP26, the global event sector could be showcased as a leading example of demonstrating #buildbackbetter.
In 2020, Positive Impact friend Lena Grobusch drafted an overview of what the European Green Deal could mean for events.
In January 2021, representatives from the UK Government, COP26, UNFCCC and the UK event sector joined the #BuildBackBetter roundtable to voice their support for the initiative. See this report for more information.
In June 2021, representatives from across the value chain of the event sector joined roundtable to voice their support for the initiative and for being involved as a founding member. See this report or more information on all the support for the Climate Action Framework.
In June 2021, this video was created to explain the potential for a climate action framework for the event sector
In July 2021, the 57 event sector organisations who had stepped forward to be a founding member for a climate action framework joined a meeting with UNFCCC Secretariat to ask about next steps. The majority of these founding members had made a net zero carbon commitment, see this report for more information.
In July 2021, Positive Impact launched a #racetozero initiative for the event sector focused on small to medium businesses in collaboration with UNFCCC and SME Climate hub. After joining the initiative, the SMEs received over 12 hours of education from the SME Climate Hub, tailored to the event sector by Positive Impact and were invited to six events to network with and learn from peers. This initiative was called The Road to COP26 Event Sector Transformation.
The idea of a climate action framework for the event sector was moving slowly and involvement of the event industry associations was leading to a decrease in ambition (i.e. consensus was building around the sector aiming for the lowest target in the longest timeframe.) Positive impact expressed this concern to UNFCCC.
In September 2021, our founding members joined us to discuss steps for net zero, see this report for more information.
In September 2021, over 40 event industry associations received a letter from Positive Impact and CAFA asking them to join the #racetozero and make a net zero pledge as an association. It was over two months before any association would make that commitment raising concerns about the integrity of associations who would market carbon education and pledge making opportunities to their members but not make their own carbon commitments.
By September 2021, it became clear event industry associations only wanted to pledge to work towards the lowest target in the largest time period.
Positive Impact therefore focused on giving the event supply chain (majority of whom are small to medium enterprises) the opportunity to show leadership and meet the client and customer expectations by joining the #racetozero.
In October 2021, over 150 events sector suppliers from around the world had made a net zero commitment and were receiving free resources from the SME climate hub tailored to the event sector. They also received a toolkit to communicate their involvement.
Over 2% of the Race to Zero commitments had come from the events.
UK government and UNFCCC met to discuss the importance of the event sector supply chain being part of the Race to Zero.
On 20th October 2021, Positive Impact and UN Global Compact Network UK carried out a corporate only roundtable to explore the role of events in achieving net zero commitments.
In November 2021, over 72 companies who had stepped forward to be founding members of a Climate Action Framework for events received an update.
Find out how a climate action framework could have been created
Read the concept note to understand how a sector-wide initiative to promote and facilitate climate action in the global event sector could be created under the auspices of the UNFCCC secretariat.
“... creating a framework in collaboration with the UNFCCC secretariat has significant potential ... It means event professionals can become climate action champions. It means the event sector can demonstrate climate leadership and send a message to global governments that the event sector is united in reducing its carbon emissions, reaching net zero and taking urgent action to respond to the climate challenge.”
From the potential of a Climate Action Framework for events to a pledge
On November 10th 2021, during COP26 Glasgow a pledge was launched by UNFCCC facilitated by one of the two industry umbrella bodies and supported by over 200 associations and event sector suppliers.
Positive Impact communicated concerns that the ambition of the pledge was low and the branding of the pledge heavily influenced by one of the two umbrella associations for the event industry. However we believe in UNFCCC's expertise and leadership to advance the ambition and collaboration and as of November 2021 we wait to see what happens next.
Discover how the event sector could #buildbackbetter
In November 2021, Positive Impact Events wrote an article for Conference News on the solution to the economic, environmental, equality and health crises being faced and how the event sector could #buildbackbetter. This article was delivered to the homes of every UK MP.
What happened at COP26:
4 things relevant to the event sector happened at COP26:
Communication about the sustainability of the COP26 event
The launch of a Net Zero Event Pledge
Recognition of The Event Sector within The Race to Zero
The launch of a UNFCCC measurement system for the event sector
Positive Impact's Conclusions about what COP26 means for the event sector;
Has The Race to Zero Approach overtaken the need for sector specific commitments? One could say yes because The Race to Zero is bringing together all commitments and it makes sense for the event sector to follow the approach their corporate clients will be taking HOWEVER each sector is unique and there is a need for sector specific roadmaps
Has the event sector's profile been raised by inclusion in The Race to Zero? Over 134 event sector SME's who made the net zero carbon commitment and joined The Race to Zero were included in the Climate Champions Newsletter on Industry Day. The future goal would be for The Race to Zero to recognise the event sector as a specific sector.
Did we achieve the goal of launching a sector target and framework in time for COP26? While it is fantastic to see the goal of launching a sector target and reduction pathway at COP26 being met there are some questions that should be asked and as an independent and critical friend to the event sector Positive Impact is willing to ask those questions including:
What could be the future post COP26
Positive Impact could continue to raise the profile of the event sector within The Race to Zero and the SME's who make a net zero commitment could continue to receive relevant resources which enable their contribution to developing sector specific solutions UNFCCC could expand cross sector engagement, provide sector specific measurement systems and facilitate the development of sector specific solutions The majority small to medium businesses who are the event sector supply chain could continue to be supported, engaged and inspired to innovate to meet carbon targets and wider sustainability goals.
This article from Event Manager Blog provides further detail on commitments made by the event sector at COP26.
In Jan 2021, Positive Impact’s initiative became one of fourteen UNFCCC Race to Zero Accelerators. Accelerators commit to transformationally amplifying membership to The Race to Zero; will actively contribute to supporting their communities apply to The Race to Zero, and will spread awareness of the Campaign through consistent messaging and events.
On Jan 13th 2022, Positive Impact delivered their first event tailored to corporate event planners. In February 2022 Positive Impact, together with Northstar media launched an initiative to encourage SME’s to make a net zero commitment and Positive Impact continued to update the over 12 hours of resources tailored to the event sector which have been created with SME Climate Hub. Also in February one of the over 160 event SME community with a net zero commitment stepped forward to join the sectoral engagement initiative specific to the event sector being led by UNFCCC with the intention of voicing the experience of the event sectors majority SME supply chain.
In the future UNFCCC could expand cross sector engagement, provide sector specific measurement systems and facilitate the development of sector specific solutions The majority small to medium businesses who are the event sector supply chain could continue to be supported, engaged and inspired to innovate to meet carbon targets and wider sustainability goals. The event sector could be recognised as an example of sectoral transformation.
In November 2022, see how Positive Impact took action in the Road to COP27.
Discover the difference The Event Sector Race to Zero made to those who made a net zero carbon commitment
Hear from Maritz Global Travel on how making a net zero carbon commitment on The Race to Zero as part of The Road to COP26 Event Sector Transformation has made a difference.
Hear from Andrew Griffiths (UK Member of Parliament) on the importance of the Race to Zero and why the global event sector should get involved.
