The GCB German Convention Bureau and CO2OL are launching a calculator that identifies the carbon footprint of conventions, meetings and events.

Apart from calculating carbon footprints CO2OL offers detailed advice on how to reduce CO2 emissions. Unavoidable remaining emissions can be offset by certified climate protection projects in order to make your event "climate-neutral".

GCB and CO2OL: Together for climate-friendly meetings and events

Lutz P. Vogt, Managing Director of the GCB: "Germany has the best chances to establish itself world-wide among the leading destinations for green events. Not only the German government is setting standards in environmental protection and energy efficiency world-wide - German convention centres and meeting hotels are also among the international pioneers." T

he GCB German Convention Bureau is the central marketing organisation for Germany as a meeting and event destination. The public discussion focuses more and more on meeting and event organisers. Due to the climate change it is increasingly important for events to go green.

Many organisers already use the services of CO2OL for advice on the calculation and minimisation of the carbon footprint. Carbon emissions of events that cannot be minimised may also be offset with the assistance of CO2OL. "Among other things, the aim of our partnership with the GCB is to strengthen awareness of climate-friendly events," points out Dirk Walterspacher, CO2OL division manager with the Bonn-based ForestFinance Group. "By sharing knowledge with the GCB and its members we can offer them advice thanks to our long experience.

In addition, we help meeting and event planners make their events climate-neutral."

As a successful solution provider of climate-friendly products and events CO2OL has been working for many companies and organisations for over ten years.

For example, CO2OL is the partner of LeasePlan, the world's largest vehicle leasing company, of A.S.S. Concert & Promotion, the Hamburg-based concert organiser, and marbet, one of Germany's largest event agencies. Moreover, the climate protection experts recently rendered the GreenMeetings conference climate-neutral and supported the UN in this year's IHDP Open Meeting Science Conference. The "Green Mobility" tool is the latest project offering event attendees a platform on everything related to green mobility and recently appearing on the website of the 12th IAAF World Athletics Championships Berlin 2009TM.

For the last twelve years CO2OL has offered advice on practical climate protection for hundreds of events and made them climate-neutral: including the Live Earth concert in Hamburg and tours of the bands "Die Ärzte" and "Juli".

You will find a link to the CO2 Calculator http://gcb.co2ol.de on the GCB's website www.germany-meetings.com where it can be used by all meeting and event planners to calculate the CO2 emissions and climate impacts of their event.