Making the G-8 Presidency Environmentally Sustainable

Minimising the environmental impact of presidency activity and offsetting carbon emissions are important priorities for the UK’s G8 Presidency, whose key themes are Africa and climate change, Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett and Foreign Office Minister Ian Pearson announced. An Africa-based project will benefit from the offsetting of carbon dioxide emissions associated with the G8 Presidency. It will also ensure the G8 Summit and other events during the UK’s G8 Presidency are environmentally sustainable. Carbon dioxide – the major greenhouse gas – is to be offset from all of this year’s G8-associated meetings, including the G8 Summit, official G8 conferences, and associated meetings. The offsetting also covers the emissions generated through air travel, local transport and accommodation at meetings. Assessments have shown that the total carbon dioxide emissions associated with the G8 Presidency will amount to 4,000tCO2, which is roughly equivalent to the emissions generated by the electricity and gas used in 800 average homes over a year. The total cost of offsetting all of the G8 events will be around £50,000, which the Government will invest in small-scale Clean Development Mechanism projects, with strong sustainable development benefits located in Africa.