ICGE-II Becomes First Government Event in Kerala to be Carbon-neutral

KOZHIKODE:
The ongoing second edition of the International Conference on Gender Equality (ICGE-II) has become the first government event in Kerala to be carbon-neutral by ensuring that the February 11-13 event met globally acknowledged environmental credentials with accuracy and transparency.

While conforming to the global sustainable development agenda in letter and spirit, the three-day conference organized by The Gender Park, under the state government’s Department of Women and Child Development, in its campus in Kozhikode followed the PAS 2060 Carbon Neutrality Standard across the stipulated areas, organisers of ICGE-II said today.

Carbon neutrality refers to achieving net zero carbon dioxide emissions by balancing or eliminating the release of the colourless gas which has a propensity to contribute to pollute air and trap heat, leading to respiratory diseases and climate change.

ICGE-II, with ‘sustainability’ as its core theme amid alarmingly changing weather patterns the state has been witnessing along with rising sea-levels and greenhouse gas emissions, went by the stipulations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The 1992-signed international environmental treaty seeks the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic human-induced interference with the earth’s climate system.

The Gender Park is set to pay to institutions that provide oxygen in proportion to the carbon dioxide emitted during the event held in suburban Silver Hills. “That way, we offset our three days of carbon emission by ensuring emission of an equivalent volume of oxygen,” pointed out Dr P T M Sunish, CEO of The Gender Park that hosted the three-day conference in association with UN Women.

“The environment-friendly system sets an exemplary model. We plan to follow it in all our upcoming events,” Dr Sunish informed. “The method shows our commitment to curb environmental pollution and all its dangerous fallouts.”

The Gender Park achieved its mission of carbon-neutrality at ICGE-II by taking on board Vydyuthi Energy Services (VES), a Kerala-based energy and carbon consulting startup. Technology and research expert Dr Vani Vijay, who is the renewable energy consultant with VES, said the carbon-neutrality was carried out on the basis of a calculation of the estimated emission of carbon dioxide at the three-day event. “We keep getting such assignments in greater numbers of late,” said the official with VES, which recently got recognized by the UN Women for becoming one of the first startups from Kerala that supports gender equality.

At ICGE-II, the organisers ensure no plastic bottles. “Instead, we went for eco-friendly materials,” Dr Sunish said. “The Gender Park aims to rely fully on renewable energy. We are working towards it.”

Eco-friendly materials including clay and cow dung were used for making mementos, identity cards and other items distributed at ICGE which has sustainability as its core theme.

The Gender Park aims to become the First Carbon Neutral Campus in the state in the coming years and be a role model in supporting the state in its journey towards creating a #CarbonNeutralKerala. The three-day conference held at Kozhikode’s Vellimadukunnu concluded on Saturday.