Greening the 2027 meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

Since 2012, the BRS Secretariat has been committed to environmental sustainability in its activities, including the preparation and conduct of meetings. In alignment with the United Nations Climate Neutral Strategy, the Secretariat has been working to improve its environmental performance and has been climate neutral since 2012.

The 2027 meetings of the conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions (2027 BRS COPs) will continue this commitment through several measures to reduce the environmental footprint of the meetings and offset unavoidable greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The Panama Convention Centre (PCC) will be the venue for the 2027 BRS COPs and has also adopted a range of sustainability measures aimed at reducing its environmental footprint, including energy-efficient lighting and climate control systems, wastewater treatment and reuse, and waste collection and recycling. The PCC is transitioning away from single-use plastics by using biodegradable packaging and replacing plastic bottles with Tetra Pak containers made from sugarcane-based materials. Participants and delegates are strongly encouraged to support these efforts by bringing reusable drinking containers and making use of the waste sorting and recycling facilities available throughout the venue. For more information, consult the Panama Convention Centre Sustainability Guide.

The environmental impact of the meetings depends on all conference delegates, and your support in this important endeavour is highly appreciated.

1. Sustainable Measures Adopted by the BRS Secretariat

a. Climate Neutrality

The Secretariat has offset the unavoidable GHG emissions from sponsored participants' travel by purchasing Certified Emission Reductions (CERs). We encourage delegates who organize their own travel to offset their emissions through the United Nations carbon offset platform:

    1. The offset purchase funds an array of projects ranging from wind power projects to efficient bus transit systems, or projects that replace harmful cook stoves with healthy, clean-burning ones etc. Projects that sell their credits can be filtered by region, country, co-benefits or price. Purchasing of certified emission reduction units (CERs) corresponding to your emission estimate can be initiated by selecting the project you wish to invest in.
    2. After you choose the project and purchase the CERs, an attestation of the offset will be made available to you.
    3. Please send us a copy of your attestation at sustainability@brsmeas.org to help us track progress in achieving climate neutrality of the 2027 BRS COPs.

b. Waste Reduction

  • The 2027 BRS COPs will minimize plastic waste through collaboration with the venue and catering services, replacing single use plastics always when possible.
  • Participants and delegates are strongly encouraged to bring reusable drinking containers (mugs, bottles) and use them at the cafeteria and water fountains located throughout the venue.

c. Paperless Meetings

All documents for the 2027 BRS COPs will be available online, eliminating paper usage. Delegates are encouraged to bring laptops or iPads as no hard copies will be provided.

2. How You Can Support Sustainability

As a delegate, your actions can make a significant difference:

a. Travel: Choose rail over short flights, opt for direct routes, and consider flying economy to reduce emissions.

b. Food: for greater environmental sustainability prioritize locally grown fruits and vegetables; foods that are in season and products with minimal packaging

c. Waste: Reduce food and other waste and participate in the venue's recycling program. If you are staying in Panama City and want to minimize your impact:

  • Carry a reusable water bottle (tap water is generally available in Panama City, although taste varies by area).
  • Use municipal recycling stations where convenient.
  • Choose hotels that separate waste and have sustainability certifications.
  • Avoid single-use plastics, especially on trips to beaches and islands, where waste management is more difficult.

d. Accommodations: Stay at eco-certified hotels with green guest programs. Participate in your hotel's linen reuse program.

e. Download all conference materials electronically and reduce the need for printouts. Device charging is available onsite. Thank you for helping us in our efforts to green the 2027 COPs!

For more information, please contact us at sustainability@brsmeas.org.
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*Some of these items are drawn from the document “United Nations Ozone Secretariat Event EMS Green Travel and Event Tips”.