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Food, Farming, Fisheries
European Maritime Day

Sustainability

Sustainability - Offsetting of emissions

The European Commission applies measures to ensure that the events it organises or co-organises are as green and sustainable as possible. A specific target for EMD is to reduce its CO2 footprint by offsetting the emissions via green projects delivering value for the environment.

More than ever, the EMD 2023 aims to be as sustainable and carbon neutral as possible. 

We count on the participants and exhibitors to help make this happen. The #EMD2023 will be as paperless and as plastic free as possible. 

Only sustainable certified catering options will be envisaged by the European Commission and the French partners. Event organisers will apply the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle principle with furniture and promotional material, and commit to offseting the environmental impact of the event. 

By applying, workshops' organisers and exhibitors commit to minimising the environmental impact of their session and/or stand, as well as to respecting the paperless and plastic-free guidance received from the event organiser.

Every little step counts, you can be part of it with small actions such as

EMD - Green conference

The European Commission has applied greener guidelines at the EMD for several years. However, in 2018, a set of guidelines for the organisation of sustainable meetings and events was formally adopted. This was an important step towards the organisation of events with a reduced environmental impact.

EMD 2019 - Winner of the EC most sustainable event award

In 2019, the EMD conference became the most sustainable conference organised by the European Commission at the internal annual Sustainable Conference competition. 

The European Commission applies measures to ensure that the events it organises or co-organises are as green and sustainable as possible. We continue on the green path in order to both follow the guidelines in the Green Deal and at the same time encourage citizens to learn more about the environmental challenges surrounding us and to take as many environmentally friendly initiatives as possible in our daily life.

The main target is to have plastic-free, and as much as possible, paperless events and minimise/eliminate the single use goods.

Venues

Venues should be accessible for persons with disabilities and well connected to public transport: travel time with public transport to (international) airport/train station: max. 45min.

Preference should be given to venues with environmental certification (e.g. Green Key, EU Ecolabel, Nordic Ecolabel).

Signposting

  • For generic content: use of re-usable banners, pop ups and umbrella stands (re-usable frames) is obligatory
  • For non-generic content:  use of medium size paper/carton posters and panels is obligatory unless technically unfeasible and after validation by the European Commission

Catering and coffee breaks

  • The organisers are required to provide quality food and beverages, as well as any staff, material or services needed. Single-use items (plastic bottles, plastic cutlery, plastic or paper plates, plastic cups, tetrapack bottles etc.) are not permitted.
  • Any catering offer should include an explanation of what actions the organisers will take to avoid food waste. For any unavoidable leftover foods or material the organisers will be required to come up with solutions for disposing them in a sustainable way: for example donating to charity if possible or distributing doggy bags for the participants.
  • Unless explicitly requested otherwise, the organisers should offer plant-based, gluten and lactose free options as part of any menu. Red meat (especially beef and pork) and cheese platters are forbidden. Preference should be given to local, seasonal and organic food with emphasis/priority to vegetarian, white meat and fish food. No soft drinks or alcohol, just water and natural juices, tea and coffee (all organic or fair trade).
  • Water should be served from drinking water fountains, and in real glasses. Other beverages should be fair trade and/or organic, unless explicitly agreed otherwise between organisers and the European Commission.

Exhibitions

  • To the extent possible, exhibition elements should be sustainable, made by recycled or recyclable materials, using environmentally friendly processes. Cardboard, cork, wood would be good materials to use.
  • Promote e-publications via apps, QR codes and web site. Paper publications are not allowed.

Travel and accommodation, local transportation

  • A detailed guide for the promotion of public transport to reach the event must be sent to all participants.

Identification/registration materials for the participants

  • Lanyards made from recycled materials with metallic hook. To promote reuse after the event.

Information material

  • Avoid printing information material as much as possible (all information should be available online).
  • Programmes should be available online and via a mobile app.

Litter

  • It is important to have separate bins for the collection of separate waste streams according to the local legislation.

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Carbon offsetting : CO2 emissions offsetting

The European Commission aims to reduce the CO2 footprint for the European Maritime Day and to encourage participants to offset their climate impact via green projects delivering value for the environment.

We encourage you to also offset your own emissions via available platforms such as MyClimate, or as approved by the UN: United Nations Carbon offset platform.

Transport

If you would like to choose carsharing when travelling to/from the venue have a look at