The global events industry presented a united pledge and roadmap for a net zero carbon future for events at COP26 in Glasgow.

Industry leaders from venues, organisers, suppliers, and associations, were live on stage on 10 November at the UN Climate Change Conference to represent and demonstrate the commitment of the events industry community to fight climate change.

The pledge was developed through a broad industry collaboration hosted by the Joint Meetings Industry Council (JMIC), a global trade body, with the guidance and support of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and with representatives from across the sector.

As the industry responsible for bringing people together, the events sector needs to play its part in fighting climate change. The pledge is the practical starting point for the work that needs to be done in the global events sector.

The Net Zero Carbon Events pledge

At the time of the official launch of the Net Zero Carbon Events pledge, there were already 109 businesses from around the world committed to action.

Signatories to the pledge commit to:

• Publish their organisation’s pathway to achieve net zero by 2050, at the latest, with an interim target in line with the Paris Agreement’s requirement to reduce global GHG emissions by 50% by 2030 – before the end of 2023
• Collaborate with partners, suppliers and customers to drive change across the value chain • Measure and track Scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions according to industry best practice
• Report on progress every two years, at a minimum

Watch the COP26 session recording here.

Events industry leaders speaking in the COP26 session included:

• Stephanie Dubois Head of Event Operations, SAP
• Kai Hattendorf CEO, UFI
• Monica Lee-Müller Managing Director, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited
• Charlie McCurdy CEO, Informa Markets
• Miguel Alejandro Naranjo Gonzalez Programme Officer, UNFCCC secretariat
• Cristina Pace Chair of the Sustainability Working Group, eSkootr Championship (eSC)
• Bob Priest-Heck CEO, Freeman
• Mike Seaman CEO, Raccoon Events
• Alan Steel President & CEO, New York Convention Center Operating Corporation (Javits Center)
• Kathleen Warden Director of Conference Sales, Scottish Events Campus
• Barbara Weizsäcker Secretary General, European Major Exhibition Centres Association

Find out more about the Net Zero Carbon Events Initiative here